Have you ever had something happen, or not happen, and you immediately became upset, angry, or frustrated? Then you found out the back story of it and felt like a heel? How much more kind and compassionate would we be if we, especially myself, saw things from a point of view other than our own? I know that I might be a bit more hesitant to kick my feet and throw an all out tantrum for not getting my way or having others agree with me.
Acts 10 tells a story about God revealing animals to Peter in a vision and telling him to kill and eat. Peter refuses because they are unclean. Acts 10:15: "What God has made clean, do not call common." This was to prepare Peter for a visit to Cornelius, someone who a Jew would not associate with, ended up being saved and having the spirit fall on him. No, Cornelius didn't have to be circumsized or convert to Judaism, he only had to believe. This was how God intended it to be. No rules to follow in order to be accepted, but a heart that thirsted after him.
Acts 11 continues the story where the Jews could not believe that Peter had went and ate with these "other" people. So, Peter told the story and how God showed him nothing was unclean or common. When the people heard this point of view, they "fell silent" which led them to glorify God.
All it took was to hear another point of view to make them silent and realize who are they to stand in God's way?
The lesson I have learned is that maybe I need to not be so quick to jump to conclusions and make my mind up about people and situations, but to hear their point of view, be silent, then glorify God.
