Especially in today’s modern world, it’s not uncommon to be presented with opinions, thoughts, and practices that differ from your own. You may have met people along your journey who have the same faith but approach things differently.
With the recent landmark decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, you may be confronted with these differing opinions. Regardless of your stance, you may look at individuals on the opposite side and think, “how can you believe that?”
Our differences make each of us a unique child of God, and being open to these differences can bring us closer to Him.
At Pathfinders Pastoral Care Ministries, we lean into these differences to help individuals understand their wants and needs. By using Temperament Therapy, we identify an individual’s inborn temperament and how to meet their needs in a healthy way. We want to highlight how welcoming different opinions and thoughts can strengthen your Christian values and relationship with others.
Our Life Experiences Shape Our Opinions
We have all had various experiences that have impacted who we are. For example, a child of divorce may be more fearsome of marriage than those whose parents remained married. Even further, two people may have been children of divorce, but one may have witnessed an extremely unhealthy relationship among their parents causing additional trust and anger issues.
One thing that different opinions and thoughts remind us is that we can’t assume we know why a person believes what they do. Their views are shaped by their life experiences, which may differ from your own.
As John 13:34-35 shares, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this, all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”
Our Actions Speak Louder Than Words
Living in faith means practicing it every day. It means being open and accepting of all backgrounds, thoughts, and people – not just those that align with your own. As Christians, we engage in actions where words are futile unless they are backed by our actions.
“The ultimate display of love for our brothers and sisters, and people in general, is how we treat them (crosswalk.com).” While differing opinions can cause confusion, frustration, and anger, it’s important to not let these emotions be the center of your actions.
“For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.” - Galatians 3:26.
Our fellow Christians are not our servants to judge. They do not belong to us. They belong to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Relationship with God is Personal
“Some things should be kept between the individual Christian and God. One of those things is “faith…” Here, “faith” refers to matters of personal conscience—what we believe to be right or wrong where the Bible does not give us clear command or teaching. The Bible teaches we should keep those things between us and God (thegospelcoalition.org).”
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As a Christian, learning from others and growing are vital for strengthening our faith and relationship with God. Pathfinders Pastoral Care Ministries is here to help you grow your faith. We encourage you to contact us to learn more.