Romans 15:7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

We all want to be accepted in spite of ourselves. It makes us feel secure and loved. It makes us feel like our imperfections and failings are being treated with grace and we feel so grateful. Even a hint of rejection, which is the opposite of acceptance, is painful and evokes quite a strong response from us. 

The sad reality is that most of us grow up with feelings of insecurity, even those of us who have grown up in the midst of so many loving and amazing people. We can have different situations and reasons but for sure we all know rejection personally. Rejection hurts and can shake us to the core. It can harden our hearts and bring out the worst in us.

We also have rejected people in different ways and so we assume we know what the other person was feeling about us when they rejected us.  We even think of rejecting others before they can reject us. We even reject ourselves at times. We forget we are so dearly loved and should love others. (1 John 4:11) 

We also forget that we have been adopted, crowned, and chosen even as we have been accepted by God in Christ. We have been picked up from the pit and crowned with love and compassion. (Psalm 103:4). In the preceding chapter of the above-mentioned verse, the context was of people not accepting one another on the basis of food that was leading to judgment. Yes, we do not have to agree with everyone and everything but we can still show love and acceptance. Jesus does not approve of everything we do and surely expects change, but he continues to accept us. He does not reject us.

So today…as you sit in the presence of our loving Saviour, remind yourself of how much he has accepted you even though he knows everything about you. Let this truth sink into your inmost being and experience the liberating power of being able to accept yourself and others to the praise and glory of our heavenly father.