I have been trying to put my finger on this problem for a while. I could never fully grasp what it was that disturbed me with our tolerance. I disliked having to *censor* myself, but I couldn't ever really pronounce the reasoning behind my feeling that way. The feeling was like knowing there is a shark hunting in murky waters. One is constantly and painfully aware of the predator shifting and stirring underneath the quiet waters. Slowly, the fin would rise out of the waters and only then would the potential problem be (at least partially) identified before its effects devour me... and then we would play this game all over again...
I feel like all my life, we are taught to be tolerant of one another. Don't speak ill of one another, if you have disagreements, just be quiet. Don't rock the boat. But, like the author says in this article...without dialogue, we don't come to an understanding of one another. We end up dividing ourselves and making up stories about the other party meanwhile playing nice to one another when face to face. We build and store up hostility and misunderstanding which will inevitably lead to destruction.
So what do we do? Especially as Christians?
LEARN TO SPEAK UP... regardless of consequence. There are many Christians imprisoned and suffering for the just cause. The ostracization or humiliation we may go through is considerably mild in comparison.
BE INTOLERANT. There is no middle ground on some things. One of those things is Jesus. We can speak truth in gentleness in a way that both illuminates the path to salvation, and is spoken in such a way that we can be held blameless. We have to be bold and intolerant on this.
PRAYER. Pray that the people you meet are indeed in search of truth and not there to peddle their own views. Pray that God work in their hearts and make them a soil that is willing to receive the gospel.
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