Is Tolerance a Gift?

Tolerance is such a loaded word these days, not sure it's baggage doesn't render it less than helpful.

 

In this PC society "tolerance" means "condone" and is fast approaching "endorse".

Amos 8: KJB

11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:

12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.​

 

Well said my friend.

 

I am so thankful for the tolerant men and women who put up with me, guided me, taught me when I was a kid and teenager.

 

This was my knee-jerk reaction, almost exactly.

And maybe I've missed the entire point of the OP, but;

Can we paint "tolerance" with such a narrow brush that it can only be viewed as sinfully watered down gospel, wishy-washy liberalism or can there be degrees of application?

I think about the wife/husband that is saved at some point after the nuptials and sees their spouse live like the devil. Doesn't this require tolerance in some form or another?

I think about the wayward child, raised properly by God-fearing parents. Is there room for tolerance?

And today's most current relevant issue; do we tolerate gays and lesbians in our churches? For how long? Under what circumstances? Until they've heard and rejected the gospel or at some other point? <--- I say this from the personal perspective/stance that no unrepentant or practicing gay or lesbian is or can be saved. How much of their "presence" do we tolerate in an attempt to fully expose them to the saving gospel of Jesus Christ?

This list of example could go practically on ad infinitum. And none of it is meant to be argumentative. This is an extremely pressing and important topic for today's Church. We have to love the lost (this may require some form of tolerance) but keep the wolves at bay.

 

rd2, to me, every breath is a gift.

As for "tolerance" our Lord expressed His Holy Anger many times.

There is a line in the sand that should not be crossed and a need for those who will take a firm and unmovable stand at the edge of that line.

 

IMO, there is a line in the sand. One that stands firm in the eyes of God. Yet, society, under satan's influence, seems to be re-drawing that line, time and time again.

Tolerate being redefined is one of the examples.

A parent teaching a child how to wash dishes has to be patient and tolerant while the child is learning. If a little dried egg is left on a fork and the rest of the dishes are OK, then nothing needs to be said. Tolerance at work. If a soapy glass slips out of little hands, patience is needed.

At some point, a child is expected to wash the dishes, as instructed. The line in the sand. Tolerance and patience doesn't extend to willful behavior that results in half-washed dishes, broken plates and such. When that happens, tolerance (acceptance) is set aside. If corrective steps (with love) are not taken, in essence, the willful behavior has been approved (endorsed) by a "tolerant" parent.