1058) Today’s minute is dealing with a tricky concept and that is, bearing with others, as used in Ephesians 4:2-3. The Greek word for this phrase is anechó and is summarized in the two-word term, showing tolerance. Yup! A tricky subject, indeed.

The subject of tolerance these days comes up frequently and, as most words do, its definition has taken on new meanings and understandings. To be tolerant is often defined as accepting anyone who acts, believes, looks or thinks differently. I think that isn’t a bad definition but the connotations of tolerance are often framed with not only accepting someone who may be different in all these ways but it has also meant to embrace these differences; to state that they are fine for me because they are fine for you. This is not what the word, anechó means.

The interesting thing about anechó and its Latin counterpart tolerate, means to endure pain. When I discovered this in my research on this concept, tears filled my eyes. This means something entirely different from embracing everyone’s beliefs, actions and more. Instead, it means that I endure the pain that often frames the choices others make in this life.

I do not have to agree with someone else’s point-of-view, instead, I can look for the pain we all have framing our outlook and actions and help others bear it. Jesus gave us examples of this when he spoke with the woman caught in adultery (John 7-8) and the woman at the well (John 4). He communicated that he “got” the pain these women were enduring due to their actions. In making the choice to look for pain in others it moves our interactions with them from judgmental to compassionate.

If I believe someone genuinely cares about my pain, I receive a gift that has great value. Maturity means we endure others’ pain. Are you ready to commit to this?