1. TOLERANCE vs. Prejudice
Realizing that everyone is at varying levels of character development.

2. Tolerance comes from a Latin verb tolerare, meaning, “to bear.”
This is the ability to go through trials and difficulty with a positive healthy perspective, even if you disagree.

3. Our character will only grow when someone or something else puts it to the test.
Thus, Tolerance is the ability to see the difference that you might have with someone or something, learn from it, and become strong because of it.

4. Tolerance versus Prejudice.
Prejudice is pre + judge, drawing a conclusion based on things that we are not sure of, or do not have the facts to know.
Tolerance will allow the person to show their true character through time.

5. Gary Tindle was in a California courtroom charged with robbery.
He asked the judge (Armando Rodrigues) if he could go to the bathroom. The question is, “could he be trusted to go?” Without pre-judging Gary’s character the judge allowed him to go with a guard.
Showing tolerance.

6. While the bathroom door was guarded,
Gary climbed up the plumbing into the panels of the ceiling. There he found a crawlspace and began to head south to find a way out. He’d gone about thirty feet when the ceiling gave way and he fell to the floor. Right in front of judge Rodrigues.

7. Real tolerance will bring out the truth in someone else.
Tolerance (realizing that Gary’s character was at a different level then the judge) was given until no more prejudice was needed, the facts were now known.

8. Tolerance is a quality that supports an individual in spite of their character flaws.
However, this is not in support of their flaws. To “wink” at character violations would encourage bad character and lead to a collapse of character and morals in the community.

9. Tolerance is not lowering the high standards of character.
Tolerance is keeping the standards high and encouraging others to pursue higher standards without rejecting those individuals when they fall short. Tolerance does not condone bad character or failure, but supports the person by leading them to understand that we must all grow and live together with our flaws in this world until our flaws are worked out, or forced out.

10. A little girl was being picked on in her school when she reported it to her teacher.
The teacher took the girl to the principle and he began to question her on asset building skills. His first question was, “Do you know what tolerance is?” She replied “yes, there are shorter ants and there are taller ants but they all work together.”
She was accurate.

11. IN THE WORKPLACE How can I show tolerance?
Look past what the person is doing, and look to what he can do.
Understand that this person had a different upbringing and possibly a different lifestyle.
Try to pick out all the positive things about the person and promote those things.
Always be above reproach so that person will respect the influence that you may have in their life.

12. How can I show more Now we can go to work.
Take on the responsibility of possibly pouring your life into this person for a period of time.
Always remember, If you don’t bear (show tolerance) one another’s character as a part of your responsibility now, then the rest of the world may have to do it later.
Tolerance isn’t putting up with the “Hitler’s” in society, it’s changing them by positive influence (character) in their life. Their character will only grow when someone else invests in them.
Now we can go to work.