How can I learn to better accept others?

1 Samuel 22:2Then others began coming—men who were in trouble or in debt or who were just discontented—until David was the captain of about 400 men.

Romans 15:7Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.

We have a great deal of influence on how others are treated. That influence can be used positively to accept others for who they are as people. We can welcome others in the spirit of Christ, not because of position, prestige, power or personal gain that may come our way. David modeled this acceptance of others as he was fleeing from Saul. As a developing leader, David learned that it wasn’t simply a matter of getting the best people, but of bringing out the best in the people God brought to him.

Matthew 5:44“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!”

Romans 14:1, 3Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong . . . Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them.

We can pray for those we dislike. Through prayer, God can help us see each person through his eyes.

Proverbs 13:20Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.

Matthew 7:15“Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.”

Luke 6:37“Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others, and you will be forgiven.”

John 7:24“Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”

Romans 2:1You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things.

1 Corinthians 15:33Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”

Philippians 1:9-10I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return.

James 4:11-12Don’t speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God’s law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

Discerning and judging are quite different. Discernment protects us and others from bad influences, deception, and even false teaching. We should be wary of those who habitually sin and tempt others to join them. But we should not be quick to make up our minds about others and write them off. We may only be seeing one side of them or be basing our judgment on a single experience. We may not know how much God has grown them from where they once were or how earnestly they are seeking to grow further. Judging others is better left to God because we can easily misjudge others. He sets the ultimate standard for accepting others.