At the age of 81, Michelangelo said, “I am still learning.” I love that!
As our community and world has become increasingly divided, we tend to only get our news from sources that already agree with us. We only talk to people like us and we know that social media algorithms send things to our newsfeed that will reinforce our own views.
When we let that happen, we stop learning. But more than that, we start seeing people as enemies rather than those with whom we disagree. And worse, we can end up dehumanising people in the way we treat them.
How do we break the trend as individuals and families? Draw closer to people who aren’t like us. Have a conversation with someone who disagrees with us – not on social media – in person!
It’s easy to be a keyboard crusader on social media. But, when we sit with someone and actually listen, we value them as people and may even learn something ourselves. My Dad used to say, “Don’t underestimate anyone – there’s always something you can learn from them.”
One of the things I love about the way God has designed the Church is its diversity of backgrounds, political views, ethnicities, and so on. I am better for being in community and the community is better because I’m in it. I don’t say that out of ego. It’s true for all of us. Everyone has a part to play.
God uses the analogy of the body to show why we need each other. An eye is different to a foot but both play a critical part. Both in the church and in society, we need each other.
The family is a wonderful place where we can learn to listen to different voices, to be a safe place to share opposite opinions and to welcome disagreement. May we all learn how to listen to others and be able to say, “I am still learning.”
