Day 12 — Accept One Another

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring glory to God.”

— Romans 15:7 (BSB)

Every school has them: the kids on the edges. Maybe they dress differently. Maybe they talk differently, or come from a different country, or have a disability. Maybe they’re shy, or awkward, or just new. And often, they get left out, laughed at or ignored.

Jesus was always noticing people on the edges. He ate dinner with tax collectors, people everyone else hated. He touched people with leprosy, whom nobody else would touch. He talked with a Samaritan woman, whom most people avoided. He welcomed children when His disciples tried to send them away.

The religious leaders complained about it. “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!” (Luke 15:2). But Jesus didn’t care about being popular. He cared about people.

Paul says, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.” Think about that. How did Christ accept you? Did He wait until you were perfect? Until you were cool enough, or smart enough, or good enough? No! He accepted you just as you were, with all your mistakes and weird parts.

If Jesus welcomed you like that, how can we refuse to welcome others?

To accept someone means to welcome them, make room for them and treat them as someone who belongs. It doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything they do. It means you treat them with love and respect, because they matter to God.

Here are some ways to accept people on the edges:

• Learn their name and use it.
• Invite them to play, sit with you or join your group.
• Stand up for them when others make fun of them.
• Ask about their interests and really listen.
• Don’t join in when others exclude them.

Paul says accepting others brings “glory to God.” When we welcome people the way Jesus welcomed us, it shows the world what God is like.

Think about it: Who is someone on the “edges” at your school, church or neighborhood? What would it look like to accept them the way Christ accepted you?

Try this: Learn the name of someone you don’t know well who seems left out, and use it when you talk to them.

Dear Jesus, thank You for accepting me just as I am. Help me accept others the same way, especially people who are different from me or left out. Give me the courage to welcome people, even if it’s not popular. In Your name, Amen.