Practicing What We Preach

I want to touch on something deeply human: the disconnect between ideals and actions.

I have lived long enough to notice a few troubling patterns.

First, the people who cry loudest for acceptance and tolerance are often the quickest to withhold it from those who do not see the world as they do.

Second, those who speak most about inclusivity and unity often draw hard lines, excluding those who do not align perfectly with their version of those ideals or beliefs.

I have seen this in churches. I have seen it in community groups. I see it in families. It’s not new, but it is disappointing.

You cannot genuinely pursue acceptance and simultaneously shame those you deem "less enlightened."

You cannot claim unity while cutting off those who disagree with you or simply do not think the way you do.

True acceptance does not mean agreement on all things, it means respect in the face of disagreement!

True unity does not demand uniformity. Instead it makes space for differences. It honors the individual. It allows for disagreement.

We cannot preach tolerance and live with contempt.

We cannot seek harmony while sowing division.

If we want real community, we must stop demanding allegiance to a single worldview and start practicing what we preach: humility, kindness, and love.

That is the challenge for many people. I hope that is not true for you. And at the very least, I pray it is something you see as worth striving for.

"If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20 ESV

Love for others is the test of real faith, not just belief, but behavior.

Our behaviour, and our words, matter!

by Jeanette Stark - Thursday, June 26, 2025