Teaching Tolerance (Day 2 of 4)

GOD IS THE JUDGE

Luke 23:34 — Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Talking to God
Ask God to help you show love and tolerance to people who don't have a relationship with Him.

Diving In
Write "Jesus loves you" on a sheet of paper. On a second sheet, write "USEOJOSVUESLY," which is a scrambled version of the sentence. Then tell your family that you have an important message for them. Show the scrambled message to your family. When they express confusion over the message, show them the real message.

Going Deeper
People who don't have a relationship with God are not able to understand the truth of the Gospel. For them, God's Word is just like a scrambled message. Without this understanding, they will make wrong choices in life, even when they're trying to do what is right. In 1 Corinthians 5:12, the apostle Paul says, "What business is it of mine to judge those outside of the church." God is the only one qualified to judge nonbelievers, people outside of the church. People who are not living according to God's Word may frustrate you, but as a believer, you shouldn't judge them or treat them harshly. Instead, you can offer them biblical tolerance — treating them with respect and patience even though you disagree with their poor choices.

Talking to Each Other
—Who can judge nonbelievers?
—How should you treat those who don't know Jesus?