Okay, so imagine that you're out for a stroll (that's a fun word... stroll), and you come upon a man who is starving to death. Now imagine that you have an unlimited free supply of food - it would literally cost you nothing to help this fellow out. Would you help him?
So many of us in our world, in our schools, in our own families, are starving for acceptance - for the feeling of belonging. Every one of us has an unlimited free supply of acceptance to give - we can satiate (that's another fun word - very satisfying... that was an etymology joke in case you missed it) their hunger, and it will literally cost us nothing. However, we tend to hoard our acceptance like it's some kind of precious resource that we'll somehow run out of. I think that's because we misunderstand what acceptance in this context really is.
Let's talk about what acceptance is not: acceptance is not necessarily agreeing with everything that someone else says; it is possible to accept someone and disagree with their position on something at the same time. We get this wrong because we have, for the large part, forgotten how to make the distinction between persons and their opinions. We do the same thing with persons and actions all the time - equating the two completely. We sum up the entirety of a person by one position that they hold, or one action that they performed. However, as I hope is clear, we are so much more than just one opinion or one action. So: you can accept a person, love them for who they are, and completely disagree with them on any number of topics all at the same time. How do we do this? Well, for that to become clear, it might be helpful to switch gears and talk about what acceptance is: acceptance is allowing a person to know that, regardless of any disagreements you may have, they are loved and who they are is more than adequate.
If we are doing the whole "acceptance" thing right, then people around us will feel that sense of belonging that they are longing for, not in spite of who they are, but in light of who they are. You have the ability, today, right now, to grant those around you the gift of acceptance - to show them in the way that you treat them that they are loved - and it won't cost you anything. ELEPHANTS. (sorry, wanted to justify my choice of picture below, and couldn't come up with a convincing tie-in to this topic... truth is, my wife just really likes elephants...).
On the other hand, if you find yourself longing for acceptance and not finding it from those around you, know this: God made you, He chose you and carefully crafted you. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. True, every one of us has areas of our life that we can improve - things about us that we need to work on (hey, welcome to being human) - but God meets us in the here and now, in the midst of the muck of life, and loves us right where we're at. So if you feel like you don't belong, or like you aren't accepted for who you are, look to the One who actually knows you - inside and out - and know that He loves you. [period]
