"I have had such an overwhelming desire to love others just as they are. Acceptance is such a beautiful word. How I long for it to become flesh in my life. I am so full of expectations: expectations for myself, for others, and even, at times, for God. I have our agenda all planned out, and how disappointed I allow myself to be when we don't measure up to my expectations!
"I think of the rich young man who came running up to Jesus. He was so full of zeal. He had a burning desire to be a disciple. But when he heard the cost, he walked away sad. I will never forget the look of love Jesus gave when he saw him coming. I have no doubt that when our nameless young man walked away sad, Jesus' look of love followed him. Acceptance rather than expectations! Jesus had an incredible ability to love people where they were. He didn't demand that they change on the spot.
"I have adopted Jesus' look of love as a way of prayer. When I find my expectations rising to the demanding point, I simply look at the person with whom I am in conflict. I use the look of Jesus as my prayer. I whisper gently, 'And Jesus looked on him with love. And Jesus looked on her with love.' Then I look on him or her with love. That look of love almost always brings comfort, and I find myself filling up with acceptance rather than expectations."
