Conversation is our bridge to each other. Learning and tolerance take place in conversation when we care enough to understand opinions different from our own and together grapple with the truth instead of resenting those who think differently.
My grandmother used to say, “Don’t judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.”
When we refuse to enter into conversation, relationships are severed, and hostility grows. This is evidenced by the dividing line of politics, where people are more interested in putting others down than trying to understand things from a different perspective. If we only talk to those who agree with us, we can discriminate without being challenged by others who have valid reasons to think differently.
Let’s make the brave choice to enter into conversation with people with different opinions to understand and be part of the synergy of progress.
Proverbs 18:2 accurately tells us, “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”
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