Thriving In Babylon By Larry OsborneSample

Tolerance

Finally, Daniel’s wisdom also made him a man of great forbearance. He was amazingly tolerant in the biblical sense of the word.

Rightly understood, tolerance is a trait we should all excel in. If tolerance means granting people the right to be wrong, we of all people ought to be known for our tolerance.

Unfortunately, that’s not what tolerance means today. The word has been redefined. It no longer means granting others the right to be wrong. It now means that nobody is wrong. Those who dare to claim that some behaviors are actually morally wrong are written off as intolerant bigots.

While many of us bemoan the intolerance directed toward Bible-believing Christians today, we have no one to blame but ourselves. We’re getting what we gave.

Back when Christianity was the dominant cultural religion, we often used our power to shut down those who advocated opposing agendas. We’d raise a fuss and force a college to disinvite a commencement speaker who advocated a godless agenda. We’d pressure sponsors to stop advertising on television shows we didn’t like. We’d boycott non-Christian companies for making non-Christian decisions.

Now we’re on the receiving end. As I write this, a TV show has recently been canceled because of the evangelical leanings of the host. A pastor has been disinvited from praying at the presidential inauguration because he had the audacity to teach what the Bible says about sexuality. And a national chain is under fire because the owners have donated to ballot measures considered antigay.

I often wonder what would have happened if we’d had the wisdom of Daniel when we were in control. What if we’d been tolerant in the biblical sense of the word? What if, rather than trying to silence those we strongly disagreed with, we’d let them have their say, secure in the knowledge that truth has nothing to fear?

My bet is we’d still be out of favor. But we’d have a far more level playing field from which to speak to the sins and issues of our day.

It’s a mistake Daniel never made. He let pagans live like pagans, while living his own godly life in full view. Which is why when the time came for him to step forward and speak up, he’d already earned the right to be heard.

*Are you tolerant in the Biblical sense of the word?