Often the most difficult people to accept are those closest to us.  If a customer chooses the wrong color, he may return it or exchange the merchandise.  But if our spouse does it, we say,  “You ought to know better.”  We don't like it when our spouse, or our children, make those  “dumb mistakes.”  Actually it's our ego that makes it such a big issue.

          One of Jesus’ qualities was his unconditional acceptance.   He could accept the prostitutes, adulterers, crippled, poor, the uneducated, the prejudiced, even traitors!  None of us can ever earn this kind of love, none of us deserves this kind of acceptance.  But if he can accept us, no matter how unworthy we are, we can at least learn to accept others—particularly those with whom we have a close relationship.

          Begin now to learn to accept others the way the Lord accepts us.