Tolerance is a divine nature of God which he also expects all his covenanted children to imbibe and manifest in their daily living. Tolerance is a grace; it is a gift of the Holy Spirit that everybody should desire. Tolerance makes a person to pursue peace with all men at all costs. It makes a person to be gentle and kind at all times. The seed of tolerance enables a person to do good and be longsuffering.
A tolerant person gives allowance for the shortcomings and weaknesses of others. He/she has a compassionate heart and sincerely appreciates people rather than criticize or condemn them. A tolerant being is not self-centred; he willingly recognizes and respects the feelings, values, and dispositions of others. While intolerance is a deliberate and absolute disregard for the feelings, values, and disposition of others.
It is tolerance that strengthens patience which builds up the fibres of submission to God’s will in people. These three corded string unrolls out of the heart on the springtide of love towards others, and this is the reason Apostle Paul prayed in Col 1:9-11, that God should fill us with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that we can live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience, which in turn reveals itself through demonstration of genuine love.
The virtues of tolerance, patience, and submission to God’s will [the most taxing or demanding of all virtues- Mark 14:35-36; Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”]enables us to grow spiritually. Verse eight of second Peter Chapter One, spanning through nine tells us that, ‘The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin. The Holy Spirit declared through John in 1 John 2:17; The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
Remain blessed in Jesus’ name.
tflame
