I don't know about you, but my brain hurts.

Lately it seems so much of the news and social media is filled with people arguing about every possible topic (usually politics, parenting styles, religion, and seriously... now even diets).

I'll be honest, I stopped watching news and reading post comments for a long time. My heart is sincerely overwhelmed at how free people feel to belittle. This year I have witnessed people write off family members, co-workers, neighbors, and best friends all in the name of "being right" or "taking a side."

If you profess to be a Christian, you betta believe THAT kind of life is not for you. God has called us to a different way of living. A way of welcoming people into our lives that's "an arms-wide-open," "tell-me-your-story" type of life.

EVEN if you disagree.

Romans 14:1 “Welcome fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. And don’t jump all over them every time they do or say something you don’t agree with- even when it seems that they are strong on opinions but weak in the faith department. Remember they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently. Romans 14:1 (MSG)”

I saw that another version broke it down like this: “Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what’s right or wrong.”

I love how this says... "remember they have their own history to deal with. Treat them gently." No one can see from a viewpoint they've never had.

What if instead of instantly rushing to criticize, we decidedly tried to remember that people's beliefs are hidden behind a history,pain, and a culture they've been raised in?

Christians, we are to be full of the grace and compassion we want given to us. The Bible even says go the next step- to pray for GOOD to come to those who we disagree with!

Even the people who drive you CRAZY were created in the image of God. They were born with the creativity and calling of God on their lives- just like you.

Even back when the Bible was being written, they argued about dumb stuff too. Dare I even say it... RELIGIOUS stuff. "Tradition." Check out this passage to see what I mean.


I wish I could double and TRIPLE highlight that entire passage 100 times, but I want to just focus on one part of it. This verse: "I’m convinced, Jesus convinced me! That everything as it is in itself is holy. We, of course by the way we treat it or talk about it can contaminate it."


Think about that for one sec. Did you realize the way you treat it or talk about things/people CAN CONTAMINATE THEM? Not the thing, the people, or the ideas themselves... It's the WAY WE TREAT PEOPLE that contaminates them.




So, my question for you today is, have you/are you contaminating other people, practices or ideas by the way you treat them?

Are you making life more difficult than it already is?!

Or today, are you going to quit deciding what's good for someone else... and instead just LOVE them?

I take this topic seriously. Christians... stop arguing. You're making God look bad. We can't afford to miss the point any longer.

Focus on what matters. Focus on God's mission... RECONCILING EVERYONE back to Him. No one was ever reconciled to God through arguing, but rather through loving kindness. Until the job's done, nothing else matters.

So, how do you get along with people you disagree with? By ignoring what you disagree on, and focusing on how God sees every person. He loves them deeply. He wants good for them. He wants them to know Him. PLAIN. AND. SIMPLE.

CHOOSE to love.