Flexible, yet Committed to Divine Standards
“TOLERANT men are never stupid, and stupid men are never tolerant,” says a Chinese proverb. There is more than a whisper of truth in the proverb, since being tolerant is a challenge, requiring a commitment to proper standards of behavior. But to which standards should we commit ourselves? Would it not be logical to follow standards set by the Maker of mankind, as explained in his Word, the Holy Bible? God himself sets the best example of keeping to his standards.
The Creator—Our Greatest Exemplar
Almighty God, Jehovah, is perfectly balanced in tolerance, showing neither too much nor too little. For thousands of years, he has tolerated those who reproach his name, corrupt mankind, and misuse the earth. The apostle Paul wrote, as recorded at Romans 9:22, that God “tolerated with much long-suffering vessels of wrath made fit for destruction.” Why has God been tolerant for so long? Because his tolerance has a purpose.
God is patient with mankind “because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) The Creator has given mankind the Bible and has commissioned his servants to make his standards of behavior known everywhere. True Christians are committed to these standards. But does this mean that God’s servants have to be rigid in all circumstances?
Firm, yet Flexible
Jesus Christ encouraged those seeking eternal life to “go in through the narrow gate.” But going through the narrow gate does not mean being narrow-minded. If we are inclined to be domineering or dogmatic when around others, surely it would make life more pleasant for everyone if we curbed this tendency. But how?—Matthew 7:13; 1 Peter 4:15.
Theofano, a Greek student who explained that time spent with people of different backgrounds led to understanding them better, said: “It is vital that we try to approach their way of thinking rather than force them to come over to ours.” Hence, by getting to know someone better, we may discover that his taste in food and even his accent are not as strange as we thought. Instead of always having the most to say or insisting on having the last word, we learn many useful things by listening to his point of view. Indeed, open-minded people get more out of life.
Whenever personal taste is involved, we should be flexible and allow others to enjoy their own choice. But when behavior is a matter of obedience to our Creator, we ought to be firm. Almighty God does not condone all kinds of behavior. He showed this by his dealings with his servants in the past.
The Trap of Being Too Tolerant
Eli, a high priest of the ancient nation of Israel, was a servant of God who got caught in the trap of being overly tolerant. The Israelites had entered into a covenant relationship with God, agreeing to obey his laws. But Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were greedy and immoral and were grossly disrespectful toward the Almighty. Eli, though well-versed in the Law of God, offered only mild rebukes and was lax in his discipline. He made the mistake of thinking that God would tolerate wickedness. The Creator makes a distinction between weakness and wickedness. For their willful violation of God’s Law, Eli’s wicked sons were severely punished—and properly so.—1 Samuel 2:12-17, 22-25; 3:11-14; 4:17.
What a tragedy it would be for us to be overly tolerant in our family by turning a blind eye to repeated wrongdoing on the part of our children! How much better it is to rear them “in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah”! This means we must stick to divine standards of conduct ourselves and inculcate them in our children.—Ephesians 6:4.
Similarly, the Christian congregation cannot tolerate wickedness. If a member practices gross wrongdoing and refuses to repent, he must be removed. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13) However, outside the family circle and the congregation, true Christians do not try to change society as a whole.
A Strong Relationship With Jehovah
Intolerance breeds in an atmosphere of anxiety. If, however, we have a close personal relationship with God, we enjoy a sense of security that helps us maintain proper balance. “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection,” we read at Proverbs 18:10. Certainly there is no harm that can come to us or to our loved ones that the Creator will not take care of in his due time.
Someone who benefited greatly from a close relationship with God was the apostle Paul. As a Jew known as Saul, he persecuted followers of Jesus Christ and was guilty of bloodshed. But Saul himself became a Christian and, as the apostle Paul, later engaged in full-time evangelizing. Paul displayed an open-minded attitude in preaching to all people, “to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to wise and to senseless ones.”—Romans 1:14, 15; Acts 8:1-3.
How did he manage to change? By gaining an accurate knowledge of the Scriptures and by growing in love for the Creator, who is impartial. Paul learned that God is fair in that He judges each individual, not according to culture or race, but according to what he or she is and does. Yes, to God, deeds are important. Peter noted that “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) Almighty God is not prejudiced. This is unlike some of the world’s leaders, who may deliberately use intolerance for their own purposes.
Times Are Changing
According to John Gray, of Oxford University in England, tolerance is “a virtue that has lately fallen on hard times.” But this will change. Tolerance balanced by divine wisdom will prevail.
In God’s imminent new world, intolerance will be gone. Extreme forms of intolerance, such as prejudice and bigotry, will be gone. Narrow-mindedness will no longer choke the enjoyment out of life. Then, there will be a paradise far grander than has ever been possible in the Vale of Kashmir.—Isaiah 65:17, 21-25.
Are you looking forward to living in that new world? What a privilege and how thrilling that will be!
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The apostle Paul showed proper balance because he had a relationship with God