Disagreements and differences in opinion often result in tension and division in relationships. But does it have to be this way?
In this week’s episode of The Crystal Paine Show, I sit down with Michele Cushatt, one of the authors of the brand-new and much-needed book Come Sit with Me, a book all about how to love well, in spite of differences and/or disagreements.
We recorded this episode the week of the midterm elections and I felt it couldn’t be more appropriate. Michele talks about how to go about seeing differences as means for curiosity rather than fear. She shares how it’s so easy to feel threatened by differences and then let that cause us to put our guard up instead of to lean in and listen and learn out of a place of love.
In this episode, she shares four keys for having conversations when we disagree with someone — and they might surprise you! I especially loved how she dug into the importance of knowing where our identity is and how that is foundational for not being frustrated, angry, or hurt when someone disagrees with us.
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In This Episode
[01:08] – Delighting in our differences… what does that mean? Let’s talk about it!
[03:26] – But first, I have Michele introduce herself.
[09:10] – Feeling curious vs. feeling threatened.
[10:55] – What inspired Michele’s chapter in the book.
[15:25] – Why are children curious? Why do we often lose this curiosity as we grow older?
[16:54] – The role identity plays in our discussion about differences.
[18:35] – What does it look like to put our identity in Jesus?
[20:01] – We need more than current events to put our hopes on.
[22:28] – Listening is a lost art that we need to find again.
[25:13] – Where does the need to be right come from?
[25:55] – Michele discusses the importance of empathy.
[27:37] – We can’t let our positions become more important than people.
Links & Resources
