It’s easy to love those we agree with. We’re on the same page and there are few challenges that disrupt our approach to life. But our practice of love is not limited to just our like-minded peers. We’re called to love even those we passionately disagree with.
Generally speaking, we do things that make sense to us. And while we might not fully understand our actions, on some gut level it seems right and we know we’re not acting maliciously.
But this is not a grace we always extend to others.
In fact, it’s tempting to write others off as ignorant, stupid, or outright evil when we disagree on important issues. And they’re likely doing the same to us.
This leaves us polarized and stuck. We stop listening, caring, and loving each other. All that matters is proving our point and how much the other is wrong.
Whenever possible, we should do our part in finding common ground together. More often than not our core desires are not that far from each other and we’re just choosing different paths to accomplish them.
But sometimes we realize our choices are incompatible and we must agree to disagree.
All the same, we can disagree, even strongly, in a spirit of civility and love. We can honor the dignity in the other and bless them on their journey even as we head in different directions.
To be sure, loving others is costly, but this doesn’t mean we must subject ourselves unnecessarily to the poor choices they make. We can set boundaries and determine what’s okay and not okay with us.
But, in the end, the call to love remains, even if they’re our enemies.
Don’t neglect your duty to love. Pray for the grace and wisdom to love even those you disagree with.
Photo by Matt Munson on Unsplash
