It's Okay to Be Different!

I love the Golden Rule - that we are to love everyone as God loves us.

It is much easier said than done, and even harder to teach our children.

We surround ourselves with people who are all different. Tolerance of differences is a rare quality to see in our society today. There is just so much fear, ignorance, and hate toward anyone who is different.

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

God tells us that we are to be KIND to one another. That does not mean we need to abandon our own beliefs and stand with those who think differently than we do. However, it does mean that we are not to attack or think poorly of those who have different ideas than our own.

I think of the recent Chick-Fil-A incidents, in which one of the owners/CEO's of the company made a stand upholding marriage as between one man and one woman. The company was founded on Christian principles, and is not open on Sunday. I have never eaten at a Chick-Fil-A. It does not matter whether the owners are Christian or not. All of their employees may or may not be Christian. They treat all employees and customers equally. The statement made by the CEO happens to align with my own beliefs. Does that mean I support the company of Chick-Fil-A? No, not necessarily.

Many people have over-reacted and put more value in the "statement" made by the company. This video shows only one example:

Let's NOT be like this man, who got fired from his job because of his behavior.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

Let's plan on watching the movie "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" - which promotes being different as a good thing!!