As much as Belle the basset hound and I love one another, we still have our differences. I insist on making her smell like flowers, and she insists on flinging slobber around the living room. I mention her disgusting habits and lack of manners to her frequently, but she remains unmoved.
(Literally, that dog barely moves.)
Belle simply does animal things in a people house, and for that reason we often don’t see eye to eye.
Enter Harlow. Harlow the bulldog lives two doors down, and she is Belle’s very best friend. You’ve heard of Laverne and Shirley, Oprah and Gayle…and now, Harlow and Belle.
Harlow and Belle enjoy the same hobbies. Games like “chase” and “ball” and “chase the ball”. They also have the same speed, meaning, they tire easily. Their short sprints are followed by long, panting rests in the shade, with even longer tongues lolling out of their mouths.
Unlike me, Harlow doesn’t mind when Belle wipes drool all over her. Harlow doesn’t scold Belle for jumping up on her. And Harlow doesn’t shudder at Belle’s noises and smells. In fact, Harlow holds her own in that department.
Harlow loves Belle just the way she is. She doesn’t expect her to act more mannerly and less doggy. Their friendship is based on mutual acceptance.
It reminds me of the acceptance God offers me in Christ. He doesn’t expect me to clean myself up and get my act together before coming to Him. He loves me, even in my disgusting sin and lack of holiness. His acceptance is unconditional.
And since I’ll never be righteous on my own, God made a way for my rescue through His Son.“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)
Thank You, Lord, for the unconditional love and acceptance You demonstrated on the cross. What a life-changing, life-giving gift! Help me offer this gift to other people, too, since You accepted me. Amen.
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Amen!