“When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul”
–Psalm 94:19 (NRSV)
A few weeks ago Heather and I attended the Beach Boys concert at the McGrath Amphitheater with some friends. I know some of you saw the concert too. It was a great show and I’m glad the band is touring after all these years.
Now a pleasant surprise that night was the opening act. The opening performer was Dave Mason. Dave played some of his songs from his solo days and his days as a musician in the band, “Traffic.” I did not know a lot of the songs, but one was very familiar. In fact, I would imagine we all know this song from adult contemporary radio. The song is entitled, “We Just Disagree.”
In the song, Mason sings, “there ain’t no good guy, there ain’t no bad guy. There’s only you and me and we just disagree.” The song came out in 1977. It’s a good song and it still speaks to us today, perhaps more than ever. In our polarizing world, we are often told we have to take a side on every issue and the other side is wrong. We might even be tempted to be a bit nasty to the other side. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could work together to “agree to disagree” and not demonize the other side.
Now there’s probably many ways that we can “agree to disagree,” but let me offer a few steps we can take. The steps come from Ray Christner, a contributor for Pyschology Today. These steps include . . . (1) Listen Actively. Instead of dismissing another person’s ideas, ask clarifying questions to better understand that person’s perspective. (2) Speak for Yourself, Not Others. Focus on facts that express your feelings. Don’t try to speak for everyone else. Say, “I believe this or I believe that.” And finally (3), Embrace a Growth Mindset. Believe that growth can come from hard conversations. Keep seeking the positive in all you do!
Might some of these steps help us as we move together to “agree to disagree!”
Peace and blessings, Scott