Unity Seed – Accept One Another: Bring Praise

Key Verse

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

Short Reflection – English Version

Most of the time we fail before our Lord but He does not allow us to be apart from Him. He does not want us to be ashamed to come before Him. Instead He even said “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Sometimes in our imperfection we get to know more of our Lord that He is a God of compassion (Psalm 116:5), a loving God and He will not allow to lose our rights as His Children. For such favours we receive from our Lord Himself, He wants us to accept each other as well, whatever their imperfection, whoever it may be, whatever he may be. Let us learn to accept each other impartially, because what God wants us to do is to love each other and show to our neighbour what our Lord has done and how He has shown His love to us (1 John 4:7). Then we can give glory to His Name, and with that we will be a beacon to our community, in our family, our friends and to many. It is because they will see that we are living God’s will for us. So, brothers and sisters, as we do all of this, let us do it without a shadow of doubt. Be the light of this world (1 John 1:7) by showing how we care and how we accept each other regardless of their race, culture, nationality and even in their imperfection. Therefore let us accept one another as Christ accepted us in order to bring praise and glory to Him.

Lord, let this reader and I be “All for One”, and as a result, bring great praise to You.

This is the fifth in the “Accept One Another” series of blog posts and is written by Jervie Magat, the PEER Servants Co-Director of Global Youth Empowerment, living in and from the Philippines and on staff with our Filipino partner, The Center for Community Transformation.

Short Reflection – Filipino Version

Kung paanong kayo’y malugod na tinanggap ni Cristo, tanggapin ninyo ang isa’t isa upang mapapurihan ang DIyos.
Roma 15:7

Marami tayong mga pagkukulang na nagagawa sa harapan ng ating Panginoon, gayon pa man hindi niya hinahayaan na tayo’y mapahiwalay sa kanya, hindi niya gusto na mahiya tayong lumapit sa kanya bagkus sinabi pa niya na tayo’y lumapit at lahat ng ating pasanin ay ibigay natin sa kanya at ito’y kanyang kukunin. Kung minsan sa mga imperfection na nagagawa natin ay mas nakikila natin na ang DIyos natin ay Diyos na mahabagin at mapagmahal, hindi niya hahayan na mawalan tayo ng karapatan bilang mga anak niya, sa ganitong mga ganitong pabor na natatanggap natin mula sa ating Panginoon, siya rin ay nais niya na tanggapin natin ang bawat isa, ano man ang imperfection ng kapwa natin, sino man yan, ano man ang kanyang pagkatao, matuto tayong tanggapin ang bawat isa at walang kinikilingan, dahil ang gusto ng Diyos ay magmahalan tayo, ipakita natin sa ating kapwa kung ano ang ginawa ng ating Panginoon, kung gaano niya ipinaranas ang kanyang pagmamahal sa atin ganoon rin natin iparanas sa kapwa natin upang tayo ay makapagbigay ng kaluwalhatian sa kanyang Pangalan, tayo’y magiging ilaw na tatanglaw sa ating komunidad, sa ating pamilya, sa ating mga kaibigan at sa marami dahil nakikita nila na ating pinapamuhay ang kalooban ng Diyos sa atin. Kaya mga kapatid habang ginagawa natin ang lahat ng ito gawin natin ito ng walang alinlangan at hindi pakitang tao lamang. Maging ilaw ng sanlibutang ito (1 Juan 1: 7) sa pamamagitan ng pagpapakita kung paano tayo nagmamalasakit at kung paano natin tinatanggap ang bawat isa anuman ang kanilang lahi, kultura, nasyonalidad at maging sa kanilang di-kasakdalan. Samakatuwid tanggapin natin ang isa’t isa tulad ng pagtanggap sa atin ni Kristo upang magdala ng papuri at luwalhati sa Kanya.