Screw Tolerance.

Attention all Christians! We're supposed to be tolerant. At least that's what society tells us. But I'm not on board with that. Being tolerant means that we "tolerate" other people. So, basically... "I don't like you nor what you believe, but I'll refrain from choking you." Well, thanks for trying, but your aim is seriously off.

Nope, we're not supposed to "tolerate" people. We're supposed to LOVE them. Actually, that's really all Jesus instructed us to do: Love God and love others (Matthew 22:37). It's really that simple.

But, really, it's not that simple to live out. Why? Because we're so frickin' different! We have different likes, beliefs, political affiliations, favorite teams, etc. So, how are we supposed to love these people? I don't have all the answers (surprise!), but here are some things I came up with.

Love is:

• Treating people the way you'd like them to treat you, not how they treated you (that whole "Golden Rule" thing).

• Talking to Jesus about people you disagree with and/or dislike. He knows what everyone is going through and would be happy you care enough about them to mention them to Him.

• Acting peacefully towards them instead of confrontational. This includes not arguing with them on social media inciting anger. Turn the other frickin' cheek sometimes.

• Just being courteous to strangers. You know, hold the door open, let someone out in traffic, get cut off without showing them your favorite finger, give a dollar to someone in need, smile at someone, etc.

But, love is not:

• Pretending there's no right or wrong. You can love the person, but at the same time not agree with their choices, beliefs, etc. Sin is sin. We all do it at some point. And your sin is no greater or lesser than my sin. But let's not pretend that we can all do whatever we want. And don't condone your neighbor's sin allowing them to think what they're doing is OK, if you know it's wrong. But... see the next bullet point.

• Dropping the hammer on someone whose beliefs don't align with ours out of "love." They might be wrong. But, telling them they're wrong and expecting them to immediately see it your way is absurd. Be the example, show them kindness and wait for the opportunity to present itself. That opportunity only comes after that person trusts you because you've been nothing but kind to them and not judgmental... breaking that "all Christians are hypocrites" stereotype.

This "love others" thing is definitely a struggle. People are annoying and I have a hard time liking a lot of them. But, I always say, "I don't have to like them, I just have to love them." Maybe that's a little twisted, but so am I. Jesus still loves me.

PS - I'm also very good at procrastination. This is my second blog in like four months. Hopefully, I can do better. I at least promise to try. Bear with me and keep reading.