Walk in Love part 5
I really think if we try we can get along with people. The trick is to walk in love. To let people be who THEY are instead of insisting that they be who we WISH they were. Major on the majors and minor on the minors. Find that common ground. Because it's easiest to walk together when the ground is common. Walking hand in hand. Not agreeing on everything, but not needed to either. You don't have to agree with someone in order to fellowship with them. I had a buddy at work who was the exact opposite of me in almost every way. Except that we both love Kevin Smith movies. So we would "talk" (sometimes debate) about different things. Not really trying to convince each other to change our views--I don't believe arguing ever gets anybody to change their stance, if anything it just makes people dig in deeper)--but really just sharing our views. And we never got hot at each other. And would usually end the conversation by quoting lines from those movies we love. And this guy--who, again, I had very little in common with--was probably one of my best buddies at work. We would look for each other. It wasn't someone to avoid just because our beliefs didn't add up. And, in fact, there are some people who seem to believe a lot of what I do... but who I would rather not talk to a lot of them time. Just because of HOW they express those beliefs. The way you deliver your message is every bit as important as what your message it. Cramming your opinion down someone's throat is a good way to get them to choke on it and vomit it up. I knew I wasn't gonna change my buddy's mind, and he knew he wasn't gonna change mine. We weren't trying to change each other. We just accepted each other. Focused on what we had in common a lot of the time. And in that atmosphere were able to share what we didn't have in common in a respectful way. "I disagree" doesn't have to come out as, "You're wrong and stupid." It can simply be, "Agree to disagree. No big deal." And to me, that's what walking in love means: Loving people no matter what. If you agree with them or not. Being all things to all people. Sharing your beliefs, and thoughts, and experiences... but not thinking "If you don't agree with me you're wrong." Unity is NOT "agree with me or else." Unity is, "I can be me and you can be you and we can sitll walk together." I truly believe that if you try hard enough you can find common ground with anybody. Because we're all people. We all go through the same things. There's common ground... somewhere. You just have to find it. And you probably won't find it if you don't look for it. There's another guy at work who I talk to almost exclusively about golf. Because I like golf... and he LOVES golf. So that's how we connect. Another guy I talk to about pro wrestling, because we both love it. Those conversations are more fun for me. But my point is--if you want to, you can build relationships with people. You can find a way to let that love inside come out no matter who is around you. You can slow down your pace, or speed up your pace, in order to walk with someone. You can focus on what's important to THEM, because THEY are important to YOU. That's what love is: Esteeming others higher than yourself. Putting others first. Laying your life down for your friends. Experiening the love of God by giving it away!