Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing (1 Peter 3: 8-9)
Yes, there it is in black and white (or white and black - depending on where you are reading it). All of us are to live in harmony with one another! We are to be sympathetic to the needs of one another. We are to be sympathetic to the plights of one another. We are to be sympathetic towards those who suffer from illnesses (and to the issues that cause them). We are to be compassionate and humble - "there but for the grace of God..."! Yes, you could just as easily be the one suffering from the undiagnosed hormonal imbalance as does the one who stands next to you at the family gathering. You could just as easily be the one who has lost everything dear to them and wanders the street homeless. You could be that foreigner looking for a better way. You could be the one who feels alone in a crowd.
Jesus didn't come to save the perfect - He didn't die only for the members of certain religious groups - HE CAME FOR ALL!!! He loves us all! Although we do not always agree with everything others say or do, it is not our place to judge - our opinions are not necessarily God's commands. We all interpret things differently. Loving our brothers and sisters unconditionally (whether we agree with them or not) is what we are commanded to do - we are responsible for our own soul - our decisions are based on our communication with God, not with one another.
Rejoice in the blessings bestowed upon you. They are many, even if you don't see or feel them where you are standing right now. God has designed the perfect path for you and you are obligated to walk it if you are saved by the precious blood of Jesus. We all want to be loved and share our joys with everyone, but the reality is - not everyone wants to share in our joys because they are too busy wallowing in their own misery. Do not let their lack of vision bring you down. Do not let the blinders they have on their eyes blind you as well. Listen to the voice within that says "I am here in the midst of this".
God has spent a lot of time on you. There is no room or time for you to entertain the insults of others, nor the threat from them that something is evil. You know His footsteps. You know His touch. You know the sound of His voice...do not hesitate to lie in the gentle embrace of His arms and feel the love He has for you!
