...but if I didn't have love!

In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Php 2:3 NKJV

You can learn to love and accept someone, without necessarily agreeing with their opinions and endorsing their actions or lifestyle. An important key is learning to see people as individuals. The more we realize that despite our differences we’re all human and all created by our God in His image. When we don’t understand someone else’s motives, views, or personality, it’s easy to think the worst about them and get irritated and angry .

Communication and trust go a long way toward our patience and towards those who do things different than us. Too often we’re afraid to ask someone where they’re coming from, or what the problem is. Or when we do ask, we do it in a way that only increases the fear and hostility the other person is experiencing. If we ask with kindness, or at least in a respectful and way we free the person to open up and we get to know them better.

Keeping a sense of humor can help smooth things out if there’s discord or conflict. That builds trust, which increases the chances for more and better communication between the two of you. The Bible sets the bar high when it comes to loving and accepting others: Paul says, “If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1Co 13:1 NLT).