"You can choose to see the love in your life or you can choose to see the opposite. But if you have a choice, why not see the love?" Betsy Otter Thompson
In Thompson's dialogue with Jesus, she asks if his inner circle had a hard time accepting who he was when others were cruel to him. He answers, "Especially when others were cruel. Who needed acceptance when the world was full of love? When it wasn't, that's when acceptance counted." She goes on to explain how Thaddeus, from the Bible, was born with a stutter and many people did not accept him for this difference. Judas particularly unaccepted Thaddeus. Avoid Judas Thaddeus tried. But Jesus makes the point that to avoid Judas was to not accept him. Therefore, he was doing the same thing but in a different way than Judas. Lastly, when having a hard time with not be accepted by others, look at your strengths instead of your weaknesses. We all have weaknesses. When we don't accept someone else we are not accepting ourselves. The first step is to accept ourselves. Good point Thompson!
This is especially relevant with the recent string of suicides by gay teens thought to have been bullied! If we can't love our selves how will anyone else love us?
ReplyDeleteThat's a powerful statement. Very good point. Furthermore, if we don't learn how to love ourselves growing up, how will we know how?
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