I read an interesting article about how tolerance has become a substitute for love. As Christians we often talk about tolerance toward others when truly the call of Jesus Christ is to love others, not simply tolerate them. The truth is tolerance is a lot easier than love.
In tolerance, we are asked to give nothing away. It costs us nothing to simply allow people to be who they are, where they are, and stay in the state in which they find themselves. Love requires us to step outside of our comfort zone and to offer a part of ourselves to others. This makes us vulnerable and open to possible pain and discomfort. Those whom we seek to love could take advantage of us. It is easy to see why tolerance seems a bit more popular these days.
Jesus could have tolerated the religious hypocrites of his day. He could have tolerated the Romans who oppressed the Jews. He could have simply tolerated the tax collectors, prostitutes, and outcasts of his day. Instead, he loved them. He made himself vulnerable and open to pain. When we look at the cross we see what can be the true price for love. It is easy to see why a policy of tolerance looks more desirable to many.
—Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS