Accept vs. Respect

Albert Camus said: Life is the sum of your choices. In fact, our choices and decisions…good or bad...determine what is added or subtracted from our lives, not to mention the multiplier (ripple) or divisive effect.

Have you watched “The Blind Side”? It is such a heart-warming film – one you’ll learn a lot from…like I did. One scene that stuck with me was when Sandra Bullock was telling her friends about her recent life-changing decision and actions. When they started laughing at her, she very crisply said: “You don’t have to approve my decisions, I just ask you to respect them.” She was clear in her decision and drive and that resonated with me.

 Too many of us hold ourselves back from doing what God puts in our hearts for us to do because we want people’s approval/acceptance – that’s plain wrong. Why should it matter what people think when we are sure of Who has asked us to do something? We need to come to a point where we know that the only way we can accomplish our purpose in life is is to do what God has asked us to …that’s the same point where those around us know who we are and what we stand for. It takes courage to accept and then take the step do what God has asked you to whether or not people accept or respect our decisions.

Have you see this 2011 film “The Help”? The preacher in it said:

“Courage in’t (sic) just about being brave. It is daring to do what is right in spite of the weakness of our flesh.”

Doing what God has called us to is not the easiest thing in the world – in fact, I’ve found out that, at least in my life (can't speak for you), it is plain difficult. The reason is simple: the Bible tells us that without God we can do nothing – so if it is easy to do what God has called us to, then we don’t need God. Remember, it's (us) the branches that need the vine...not the other way around - the branches will always wither and die without the vine (John 15:5). So it is up to us to stay connected to the vine - at all times come what may.

Back to others accepting versus respecting our decisions and actions: when people know who we are and what we stand for, they’ll have no choice but to respect our decisions and before long, they’ll accept them...and possibly also support us. Even if they never support us, all you need is to respect God, accept and implement His instructions to you and every other thing will fall in place...