but what if we don't agree?

Summary

Christ With Coffee On Ice - Episode: "But What If We Don't Agree?"

Release Date: February 14, 2025
Host: Ally Yost

---

Introduction

In this heartfelt episode of "Christ With Coffee On Ice," host Ally Yost navigates listeners through the turbulent waters of societal disagreements, particularly in the political arena. Released on Valentine's Day, the episode intertwines themes of love, compassion, and unity, encouraging Christians to embody the teachings of Jesus even amidst conflict.

Setting the Stage

Ally begins by sharing a personal moment of seeking divine guidance:

"I was sitting with the Lord this morning, and I was like, God, I literally have no idea what we're gonna talk about today."
[00:58]

Surprisingly, she feels led to address a typically sensitive and polarizing topic—not Valentine's themes—highlighting the Lord's unexpected direction.

The Call for Peace Amidst Conflict

Ally emphasizes her divine inspiration to discuss the growing tension and conflict in the country, particularly following recent elections and presidential decisions:

"We're going to talk about how to handle conflict when it comes to the topic of politics and how to create peace among our brothers and sisters and our neighbors as we disagree."
[02:10]

She underscores the importance of addressing these "elephants in the room," driven by her interpretation of Jesus's desire for peace:

"I just keep hearing the word peace over and over again. And I'm praying and I'm hearing the word peace..."
[04:10]

Biblical Foundations for Unity and Compassion

Ally delves into scriptures that underpin her message of loving those we disagree with. She references Luke 6:30-36, advocating for compassion even towards adversaries:

"Love your enemies, do good to them, lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High."
[07:56]

She further explores Galatians 5:14, highlighting that the essence of God's law boils down to:

"Love your neighbor as yourself."
[19:59]

Practical Steps to Loving in Disagreement

Ally offers actionable advice on fostering understanding and compassion:

1. Shift the Mindset: Instead of viewing disagreements as battles to win, see them as opportunities for deeper connection.

   "If there's anything that we can be better at, I feel the Lord challenging us to really be slow to speak and slow to get offended."
   [33:03]

2. Seek Understanding: Replace statements like "I can't understand how..." with "Help me understand why you..." to foster respectful dialogue.

   "Instead of 'I can't understand how,' change it to 'I want to understand how.'"
   [23:50]

3. Prayer and Compassion: Utilize prayer to center focus on God, seeking the compassion needed to love those who oppose us.

   "Through prayer, we gain the compassion we need to love those we don't like."
   [24:02]

4. Be Peacemakers: Strive to be a source of peace in every interaction, echoing Romans 12:18.

   "If it's possible, live at peace with everyone. As far as it depends on you..."
   [25:13]

Jesus as the Ultimate Example

Ally illustrates how Jesus interacted with those who disagreed with Him, reinforcing that compassion and firm truth can coexist:

• Forgiveness: Jesus forgave those who crucified Him, exemplifying boundless compassion.

  "Jesus never disowned or disrespected those who disagreed with Him. He loved them."
  [29:35]

• Dialogue Over Confrontation: He engaged with individuals like the woman caught in adultery and the thief on the cross with mercy and understanding.

  "He was never cruel about it... Jesus was firm in some conversations or sharper in his deliverance, but it was out of love and hope."
  [28:32]

Navigating Online Conflicts

Acknowledging the pervasive influence of social media, Ally advises approaching online disagreements with the same compassion:

"Whatever you post or comment, remember you are speaking to a real human being that is deeply loved by God."
[21:30]

She encourages transforming confrontational statements into opportunities for meaningful conversations:

"Instead of saying, 'I can't understand how someone could vote that way,' ask, 'Help me understand why you vote this way.'"
[23:50]

The Role of the Holy Spirit

Ally emphasizes that genuine compassion and effective conflict resolution stem from the Holy Spirit:

"Accessing the spirit of God is the best thing that you can do in that moment and ask, 'Jesus, what do you want me to do?'"
[18:05]

She highlights that without divine guidance, maintaining compassion in conflict is challenging:

"We have to communicate with the author to find the solution, AKA the Spirit."
[31:13]

Encouragement and Call to Action

As the episode draws to a close, Ally urges listeners to embody these principles in their daily interactions:

"If there's anything that we take away is becoming a peacemaker in these kinds of situations."
[25:21]

She shares a personal challenge to love others more deeply, advocating for ongoing spiritual growth and unity:

"This is the Lord's challenge for all of us... love everyone."
[32:59]

Final Reflections

Ally concludes with a resounding message of love and unity, reinforcing the episode's core teachings:

"Being quicker to listen and to try to understand where people are coming from is how we can show somebody how cool Jesus is today."
[35:53]

She encourages the community to continue fostering compassionate dialogues, both within the church and beyond, as a testament to their faith:

"Every single person walking this earth was made in the image of God. And we have to look different, y'all. We have to look different by loving people."
[34:05]

Key Takeaways

• Embrace Unity Through Disagreement: Christians are called to maintain unity and peace even when opinions diverge.

• Practice Compassion and Understanding: Shift conversations from confrontation to genuine curiosity and empathy.

• Rely on the Holy Spirit: True compassion stems from divine guidance, enabling believers to handle conflicts gracefully.

• Be Peacemakers in All Arenas: Whether online or in personal relationships, strive to be a source of peace and love.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• "Love your enemies, do good to them..." — Luke 6:30-36
  [07:56]

• "Do not judge others and you will not be judged..." — Luke 6:37
  [15:25]

• "Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." — James 1:19
  [31:32]

• "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." — Proverbs 15:1
  [31:34]

• "Love your neighbor as yourself." — Galatians 5:14
  [19:59]

• "If there's anything that we take away is becoming a peacemaker in these kinds of situations."
  [25:21]

Conclusion

In "But What If We Don't Agree?", Ally Yost masterfully blends scriptural insights with practical advice, urging listeners to navigate disagreements with the love and compassion exemplified by Jesus. By fostering understanding and unity, Christians can become beacons of peace in a divided world, truly embodying the essence of walking with Christ.

Transcript

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[Ali Yost]

Hello, everybody. Welcome to another episode of Christ with Coffee on Ice. I am your host, Ali Yost, and it is a joy and honor to be back with you guys on another Friday. Happy Friday. I hope you guys had a great week. I hope that we are feeling good also. It's Valentine's Day. Hi, guys. Happy Valentine's Day. I didn't even realize that until, like, right before we started recording. I was like, oh, my gosh. It's literally Valentine's Day today, so. So I hope that you guys are.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Having a special day.

[Ali Yost]

It's already special for me because I get to spend it with you guys. And it's funny, because I was sitting with the Lord this morning, and I was like, God, I literally have no idea what we're gonna talk about today.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I need your guidance.

[Ali Yost]

And there is a particular topic that is gonna feel so left field. Like, out of left field, considering what today is. And I was like, God, are we really gonna talk about that on Valentine's Day? Like, shouldn't we kind of make it around the day? And then he was like, well, it's a good thing that you don't submit.

[Unnamed Speaker]

To the day of the month.

[Ali Yost]

You submit to my spirit. And I said, right? I said, you're right. So we're just gonna listen to the Lord also. Okay, before we get into anything. Okay, let's slow down, Ali. Okay. We have our coffee on ice. So we have our Christ. We've got our holy book right here. Our bible, our life. And then we have our coffee on ice. I did a pretty good job today again. I think it's yummy. I'm, like, genuinely obsessed with this cup, guys. I am so obsessed with our Christ with coffee on ice.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Plastic tumbler.

[Ali Yost]

I actually use this one more than I use the glass one. And I thought the glass tumbler was going to be, like, my girl. I thought that was going to be the one that I was going to be using all the time. But the plastic one, it's just like, so much more travel friendly, obviously, with the screw on top and everything. I love it. I love it.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And so I know A few of.

[Ali Yost]

You listening are probably drinking out of yours as well. So cheers, twins. So this is another one of those moments where I'm like, don't shoot the messenger. I'm just here to abide. I'm just here to relay the message of what I feel the Lord has put on my heart. And so as I was sitting with him this morning, I felt the burden to just talk about what is going on in our country right now. Happy Valentine's Day. No, but for real, what's going on in our country right now in the sense of like just all of the resistance and the tension the between each other, that's what I want to talk about. I don't want to talk about like any of the really political things, cuz that's, that's not what I feel led to talk about by the Lord is like, we're going to talk about this side of it. And I feel the Lord actually guiding me to talk about how to handle conflict when it comes to the topic of politics and how to create peace among our brothers and sisters and our neighbors as we disagree. Because there has been a lot of disagreement with this recent election and even some of the decisions that our president has been making. There's just a lot of tension and conflict. And if you are starting to tense up at the idea of us talking about this, this is exactly why we need to talk about it. And this is exactly why I feel Jesus is like, we need to just confront this elephant in the room now. Because I feel the Lord's heart for really genuinely wanting peace. And, and that makes sense because he's the Prince of peace. And I'm sitting in my quiet place with the Lord and I just keep hearing the word peace over and over again. And I'm praying and I'm hearing the word peace and it's like bringing me to tears. And I didn't really understand it. I was like, I don't understand why this one particular word is like making me so emo right now. But I believe that what I was experiencing is I was genuinely feeling, feeling the heartbreak of Jesus as he's witnessing what's going on in our country and even between like believers and non believers and the way that we are combating each other in the comment section on the Internet or just like not representing Jesus well with our words, whether we agree with these people or not. And I think ultimately, like, you know, the thing about our country is it's the land of the free. And that means we're also free to have our own opinions and our own beliefs. There. There is freedom for that, you know, But I just. I feel the Lord's heart in wanting unity, even through disagreements, that he wants unity even with us not agreeing with one another. And I think that, you know, the narrative, especially in the world, is that. That those two things can't live in the same room. Like, if you don't agree with what I believe, then we can't commune. Like, we can't sit down and break bread. We can't sit at a table together. And that's just not the truth. And I. I do think even parts of the church, like, we feel that way, where we're like, well, I'm not going to associate myself with people who could believe those things, but Jesus did the opposite of that.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And he communed and.

[Ali Yost]

And he sat and he broke bread with people that was like, jesus, what are you doing? Like, those people are filthy. You know, I just feel the Father's heart of.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Of wanting unity, even through DESP disagreement.

[Ali Yost]

And my heart has been so burdened out of nowhere, and I'm. I'm not even like, this crazy political person. And this is going to feel very out of left field because this is not typically anything I would talk about on the Internet. But I just feel, as the church, we have a responsibility to show people the ways of Jesus, even through things like politics. And I believe that it is our duty to love people even through disagreements, and to love people even when they're vulgar and nasty and hateful and resenting. Like, whatever way that that looks, we are supposed to love those people. I think another thing that I really wish for, for our generation, y'all, is that we can come together and have healthy conversations and hear each other. Just hear each other. We don't have to agree with one another, but to hear each other believe it or not, that is unity. Even if we don't necessarily agree with one another, just sitting down and listening.

[Unnamed Speaker]

To one another is unity.

[Ali Yost]

And I just feel like there's so much anger in this generation. It's just a lot of anger. And I. I feel the Lord's heartbreak with that. And I believe that he wants more peace. And so the question is, is okay, Ali. So as the church, how do we represent that? Well, like, how do we do that moving forward? Like, loving everyone, Even when some of the things that people say you could think is literally absurd and crazy, it could actually go against scripture or it could just go against your beliefs. But how do we love people that we don't agree with or don't agree with us. How do we do that? Well, because another thing that we are called to be is we're supposed to look different than the world. And so if we're dishing out what the world is dishing to us and we don't look different than them, I just don't believe that we're walking in our true potential with God by looking just like the world, we are actually supposed to look different than the world. And what we do is not supposed to make sense. It's actually supposed to be giving, like the opposite. So when people are coming at us, screaming, screaming in our faces, telling us that we're wrong, telling us that we don't have a right to believe these things, and then we respond with blessings, it's giving what, like anyone else would respond with hate, right?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Like fire.

[Ali Yost]

With fire.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Eye for an eye.

[Ali Yost]

And so there's this particular scripture that.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Comes to my mind as we talk.

[Ali Yost]

About this, and I really want to read it to you guys.

[Unnamed Speaker]

This is Luke 6, 30, 32, and it reads, if you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good only to.

[Ali Yost]

Those who do good to you, why should you get credit?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Even sinners do that much. And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return. Love your enemies, do good to them, lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, for he is kind to those who.

[Ali Yost]

Are unthankful and wicked.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You must be compassionate just as your Father is compassionate.

[Ali Yost]

Isn't it funny that the Lord actually.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Tells us to be compassionate to those.

[Ali Yost]

Who could be acting out in a. In a way of wickedness or evil or hate. Right? So what the scripture is saying is it's not saying that the people that you don't agree with or don't agree with you are evil. So I don't think that we need to be looking at anyone else on the other side is like, they're an evil person. But I think that this is just an example of when people are acting in evil. I guess they could be evil, but also they could just simply be disagreeing. If somebody is spewing hate, okay? At you, you must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Jesus actually tells us that we're supposed.

[Ali Yost]

To be compassionate to those who hate us.

[Unnamed Speaker]

We're Supposed to be compassionate to those.

[Ali Yost]

Who are our enemies, to the people who are unfair to us, to the people who are hateful and cruel. And it.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And it could be unjust.

[Ali Yost]

It could be for no reason. You could be approaching the situation, trying to have a conversation, and you're trying to do it in a peaceful way, and they're not responding in that way. And maybe it is undeserving. Maybe you didn't deserve that, but you're still called to have compassion for them. How do you do that? How do you have compassion for somebody who is only showing you hate? I think it goes back to one of the last words that Jesus said on the cross where he said, forgive them, Father, for they don't know what they're doing. And I think the best way that I really can channel compassion in situations like this is that. I don't know. Just thinking back to times where I really thought. I really thought that I was living a life that was good. And, you know, the things that I was doing and even the things that I was saying, I genuinely, I thought was right. And all of a sudden, now I'm buried in all of this sin and I'm miserable and I'm depressed and I feel completely empty, and I don't have any real people around me, and I have no one to rely on.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And I'm left with nothing.

[Ali Yost]

And that's. That's what I'm feeling at. I'm like, at the ends of myself. But I thought everything I was doing was okay. So then why am I left feeling so empty, like. Like a shell of myself? And I think back to that version of Ally, and I'm like, dang, like, I have compassion for her.

[Unnamed Speaker]

She didn't know.

[Ali Yost]

I always think back to that scripture where it's like, forgive them, Father, for they just.

[Unnamed Speaker]

They don't know.

[Ali Yost]

They don't know what they're doing, you know, And I'm not saying that to. To make an excuse for people who are acting out in hate, but also it's like, I genuinely believe that they're so passionate about whatever it is, and it's translating in a place of hate because they really believe. They really believe that that's right. I think also, like, if the Lord has compassion for them, then we also are called to have compassion for every single person. And that's hard. I think one of the most challenging places to have compassion is towards people who are cruel, kind to us, especially in disagreements. And this could even go farther than politics. This could go even as far as.

[Unnamed Speaker]

You Sitting at the table at Thanksgiving.

[Ali Yost]

And not coming to an agreement with a family member or, you know, you're having a conversation with your spouse and you have a certain POV of something and then your spouse is like, well, I don't see it this way. You know, And I just think having compassion, even in disagreements and places of not agreeing with one another, still loving each other. Well, am I translating this? Well, guys, I just, I really want to do the best I can can with saying this, but I just, I feel the Lord being like, this is what he's saying at the end of all of this, no matter what. I don't care what your political views are. I don't care your different stances and POVs. And so I'm not sure how much productivity happens when two people are raising their voices and they're trying to one up each other and they're trying to prove their point. I think that it gets blurrier and.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Blurrier the louder that we get.

[Ali Yost]

I really feel Jesus just being like, I want you guys to just sit down and just talk, just talk to each other. You know, I really hope that you.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Guys are hearing this.

[Ali Yost]

And I just pray that the people who are supposed to hear this and.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Receive this, receive it and they hear it.

[Ali Yost]

I really want to be able to like translate this. Well, I'm not saying that as Christians we aren't supposed to speak the truth. I do believe that we are called to speak the truth, but with speaking that truth, we deliver it in a place of compassion and love and peace, that we're slow to anger and we're.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Quick to, to also listen.

[Ali Yost]

Like there are ways to speak the truth without entertaining a spirit of conflict and anger and just combating each other. There is a way to do that, a way that I did that just recently I went live on a TikTok and I thought we were just going to have a cute little wholesome conversation. And then some people start bringing up just politics and they're like asking all these questions. And I shared the truth and I, I shared what I believed was the truth, especially from the Lord. And some people agreed and some people didn't. I also think that it takes a level of spiritual maturity, which we all are actively growing in, to accept that people won't agree with us. I think that's. The other half is like, I don't think it's our job to convince anyone of the truth. I believe it's just our job to speak the truth. That we're supposed to talk about what the Lord says in Scripture, but I don't actually believe it's. It's our duty to convince anyone and.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Go on and on and on and.

[Ali Yost]

Say, well, this and that and. But this and well, this is why I'm right and this and this.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I don't believe that that is actually.

[Ali Yost]

Our role to convince people, but we are supposed to speak the truth. Yeah, the Lord just really wants peace. And he's okay with us disagreeing, I believe. Yes, he's okay with us disagreeing with one another. That. That isn't even what he really wants. I mean, would it be great for us to all agree?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Sure. But I don't think that's humanly possible.

[Ali Yost]

I don't think that every single person is going to agree on everything. That's just.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I don't think that's ever happened in.

[Ali Yost]

The history of humanity, and I don't.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Think it ever will.

[Ali Yost]

But something that can happen and something I do believe that Jesus desires is. Is peace and unity through not agreeing with one another and even not agreeing with each other's lifestyles, like whatever that looks like, but still loving one another.

[Dax]

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[Unnamed Speaker]

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[Ali Yost]

I also want to keep reading on in Luke 6. So we ended at Luke 6:36, but I'd love to pick up again at.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Luke 6:37 and it says do not judge others and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you. Forgive others and you will be forgiven. Give and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get. Back then Jesus gave the following illustration. Can one blind person lead another? Won't they both fall into a ditch? Students are not greater than their teacher, but the student who is fully trained will become like a teacher. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, friend, let me help you get rid of this speck in your eye when you can't see past the log in your own eye. Hypocrite. First get rid of the log in your own eye. Then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

[Ali Yost]

I also think that there is a way to not agree with others, but also not judge them. These things feel like they shouldn't live in the same room, but I do believe they can. You don't have to agree with somebody while also not judging them. And I really believe that the only way we can do that, y'all, is accessing the spirit of God because it really is something supernatural that we cannot do in the natural on our own.

[Unnamed Speaker]

As humans without the spirit of God.

[Ali Yost]

It sounds foreign and it sounds crazy because I believe that anything outside of just us and our bodies, like us being humans, anything outside of that that has to do with the spirit of God does feel that way. Because it's past all of our understanding. The way that God operates and the way that he loves it does not make sense. But that doesn't mean that it's not true.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Just because it doesn't make sense to.

[Ali Yost]

Us doesn't mean that it's not true. And so I say that because I do believe that you cannot agree with somebody and still not judge them. And I think too, guys, I want you to take all of this with a grain of salt as well, because.

[Unnamed Speaker]

There is a level of discernment that.

[Ali Yost]

I believe has to be necessary with every situation because we're obviously not excusing poor behavior. If you're like, I don't agree with the way that you're treating that person, but I don't judge you. It's like, we don't judge, but they're also. There doesn't have to be. Not judging doesn't mean that we're excusing the behavior.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It doesn't mean that you have to.

[Ali Yost]

Be friends with every person that you disagree with. I just think that, yeah, there's a level of discernment that comes from the spirit per situation where God will give you the wisdom of how you are.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Supposed to handle that situation. What kind of boundaries are supposed to.

[Ali Yost]

Be set, what you're supposed to be saying versus what you should bite your tongue about. You know, the ultimate wisdom comes from the spirit of God. It's the Holy Spirit. And so I think that as you're facing challenging conversations and challenging relationships, situations, if you find yourself approaching a situation that could be conflict, accessing the spirit of God is the best thing that you can do in that moment and say, okay, Jesus, what do you want me to do? How do you want me to represent you? Well, right now, do I stand firm and speak the truth? Right now, do I just bite my tongue and listen? There's a lot of times where Jesus wouldn't combat. I mean, you see it in the Bible that he would, like, fact check people. He'd be like, that's all right. This is the truth. And you're probably not going to like to hear it, but this is the truth. But he did it with such a way of grace and mercy and just compassion.

[Unnamed Speaker]

He was never cruel about it.

[Ali Yost]

And I think that's what needs to be removed from the way that we deliver truth, is being cruel or harsh or insulting. Jesus never was like, you idiots. I mean, he'd call them out and he'd say, y'all are hypocrites. But he wasn't coming from a place of cruelty. Like, yes, did Jesus flip tables because of how disgraced and upset and frustrated he was with their behavior? Yeah, but he wasn't cussing them out. Anger in itself isn't a sin, especially if it's a righteous anger where you're like, this is literally not right. But making sure that we are not sinning in that anger, which Jesus never did. Another scripture that I want to bring.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Up right now is for the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command, love your neighbor as yourself. That's Galatians 5:14. This is not just a suggestion. It is a command. The entire law, all of God's standard for our lives can be summed up with just this one thing, which is love your neighbor as yourself.

[Ali Yost]

God knew that would include those we disagree with.

[Unnamed Speaker]

For example, Jesus taught the parable of the Good Samaritan. In this case, Jesus used two enemies, a Jewish man and a Samaritan. Samaritans were despised enemies of the Jewish people. Yet Jesus made the Samaritan the hero of the story.

[Ali Yost]

It is clear that God wants us.

[Unnamed Speaker]

To love even the neighbors we disagree with. Also remembering that the person that we're.

[Ali Yost]

Disagreeing with is somebody that God loves.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And Jesus died for. You can love someone you don't like.

[Ali Yost]

When you remember they are someone God.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Loves and Jesus died for.

[Ali Yost]

I think that's how we have compassion, is we go back to that scripture, Luke 6:32, right at the end of it, where it says, just as your.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Father is compassionate, you must be compassionate.

[Ali Yost]

And so how do you have compassion for that person? I think that this is a great way to do that to access that.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Compassion by remembering God actually loved this.

[Ali Yost]

Person enough to create them, that they.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Exist because God chose them and wanted them to exist and Jesus died for them. So yes, even the person who doesn't.

[Ali Yost]

Vote like you or worship where you.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Worship, think of the politician you most disagree with. Next, picture them in your mind. Finally, meditate on this truth. God created them in his image. God loves them with a relentless love. Jesus suffered and died to rescue them. Remembering this truth should increase our compassion for those we disagree with. If this is still hard for you, remember that you don't have to love them in your own strength. Oh gosh, this is good guys. This is good. God has overflowing love for them. So ask God to fill you with his love for that person. Social media has given us all a platform that previous generations haven't had. While social media can be used for good, it can also increase division. Whatever you post or comment, remember you are speaking to a real human being that is deeply loved by God. God created them in his image. Jesus was tortured, bled and died on the cross for that person. Interact with those you disagree with online with that same compassion and love. Loving a person you conflict with means seeking understanding. I just can't understand how someone could vote that way. It's impossible to imagine how anyone would ever believe that. I will never understand why they made that choice. We've probably all said something like this. The next time you think this, try changing the question. Instead of I can't understand how, change it to I want to understand how. If you're with the person you disagree with, ask the question. Help me understand how. Help me understand why you vote this way. What experiences or perspectives from your life led you to believe that? Why are you thinking these things? That last question is from Jesus and he asks it in Mark 2:8. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asked many questions. He was curious. Now, being all knowing, he already knew the answers, but he asked them anyway. He is showing us how important it is to gain an understanding of where people are coming from. Loving a disagreeable person can mean asking some of the very same questions that Jesus asked. What do you think? What is it you want? Why are you so afraid? When you're compassionately curious, you can get a glimpse into the person's story. You learn their values, passions and fears. Gaining an understanding helps you have a respectful dialogue that can lead to future conversations about what's important to you.

[Ali Yost]

You can also love someone that you.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Disagree with by praying for them. You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and Hate your enemy, but I tell you, love your enemies. And pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. And that's Matthew 5:43 48, which is probably the same message that Jesus was saying. As Luke documented in 6:32, prayer actually centers our focus on God. When we pray, we let go of our own agenda and seek God's will. Our spirit is strengthened. Through prayer, we gain the compassion we need to love those we don't like. We see them as we see ourselves in desperate need of Jesus. On top of that, prayer also blesses them. You can also love someone that you disagree with by being a peacemaker, which.

[Ali Yost]

Is like the major thing that I feel God highlighting through this entire message. So if there's anything that we take away is becoming a peacemaker in these.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Kinds of situations, if it is possible. As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18 as far as it depends on you, how you act and react is your responsibility. You can't control another person's actions. But as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Everyone includes loving that person you conflict with. Start by finding something you can be unified on. Strive to find common grounds and start there.

[Ali Yost]

For example, perhaps you both want what's.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Best for your family. You may have different ideas of what that looks like, but you both have a common goal. Emphasize how noble that goal is and how you see their heart for their family. Honor their desire to serve their family and provide for them. Continue trying to find more common ground and honor them. Eventually you will find areas of life.

[Ali Yost]

Where you disagree, and that's okay.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It is possible to disagree with someone without disrespecting or dishonoring them. You can remain firm in your viewpoint while still offering unwavering love. You can have vastly different opinions and.

[Ali Yost]

Still honor who they are as an.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Image bearer of God. Loving someone you disagree with points them to Jesus. Okay, guys, lock in. This is about to be really fire.

[Ali Yost]

If you're not already locked in, lock in, okay?

[Unnamed Speaker]

This is us representing Jesus well as the church, okay?

[Ali Yost]

Because whether they realize it or not in the way that we react and the way that we treat them with compassion and genuine curiosity in conversations like.

[Unnamed Speaker]

This actually does point them to Jesus.

[Ali Yost]

Whether they even know that that's what's happening or not. It does because you're showing them the.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Compassion of the Father's heart by the.

[Ali Yost]

Way that you're loving them in that situation.

[Unnamed Speaker]

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. That's 2 Peter 3:9. Our goal is to help everyone take their next step towards Jesus, whether or not they currently believe in Him. If that is our ultimate goal, then we need to commit to love everyone.

[Ali Yost]

Especially those we disagree with. Especially those we disagree with.

[Unnamed Speaker]

When we're speaking with someone who disagrees with us, we should have one main goal. We want them to leave the conversation willing to have another conversation. When talking to someone who doesn't follow Jesus, we shouldn't leave the discussion wondering, did I win? Oh, that's so convicting, guys. Instead we should leave asking, did they feel loved by God and loved by me?

[Ali Yost]

Would they be willing to have another conversation with me or another Christian? We always want to keep the window open to have a second conversation and.

[Unnamed Speaker]

A third and continue until they are in a place to begin a relationship with Jesus. It's the Lord's desire that all come to find life in Him. Jesus disagreed with loved ones but didn't disown them.

[Ali Yost]

Jesus ruffled a lot of feathers during.

[Unnamed Speaker]

His time on earth.

[Ali Yost]

Plenty of people were outraged by some of Jesus teachings while he was doing ministry.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Remember, this was even the reason that he was crucified because the ruling leaders at that time thought he was blaspheming God.

[Ali Yost]

While there were times Jesus spoke in a sharper tone with those who disagreed with Him. Okay, so that goes back to what I was saying, where I said Jesus was firm in some conversations or sharper in his deliverance for sure, but it was out of love and hope that.

[Unnamed Speaker]

They would turn to the truth. He never disowned them, not even Judas, who betrayed Him. At the same time, Jesus let people ridicule him, accuse him, and even beat him. He knew the right time to be silent and the right time to speak.

[Ali Yost]

Up, because he only did what he.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Saw the Father doing. And that refers to John 5:19 20.

[Ali Yost]

Jesus was also welcoming to those who.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Disagreed with him, such as the woman.

[Ali Yost]

Caught in adultery, which is in John.

[Unnamed Speaker]

8:1 11, the humble Pharisee named Nicodemus.

[Ali Yost]

Which is Also in John 3:1 21.

[Unnamed Speaker]

And even the thief on the cross.

[Ali Yost]

Next to him during his crucifixion, which is Luke 23:39:43.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Jesus was also merciful to Judas who betrayed him for 20 pieces of silver.

[Ali Yost]

Matthew 26:15 he never disowned or disrespected.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Those who disagreed with Him. He loved them. Jesus welcomed all to come to his kingdom, but he does ask that those who follow him would follow his way. Are we supposed to let people walk all over us?

[Ali Yost]

No, that's not what Jesus is saying.

[Unnamed Speaker]

However, Jesus is setting the bar high, inviting us to follow in his ways, offering love and compassion to all, even those who don't deserve it. Sometimes all it takes to break a guarded heart is love, forgiveness and compassion that isn't warranted.

[Ali Yost]

We see this in the life of.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Saul who became Paul Acts 9:1 19 and even in the life of Simon.

[Ali Yost]

The magician Acts 8:9 24 I just randomly found this.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I just typed in how to love.

[Ali Yost]

People you disagree with Christian Because I was like God. I just felt led to do it and this is askaboutmyfaith.com that's what we've been reading from and it is like fire. It then goes on to say A.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Guide to Resolving Conflicts with Loved Ones Conflict resolution in the Bible isn't like a how to manual.

[Ali Yost]

It's more like a read between the.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Lines, suggestions and bite sized morals of.

[Ali Yost]

Wisdom that help us seek God for every situation.

[Unnamed Speaker]

But the Bible is alive and active.

[Ali Yost]

But it's not like a genie in.

[Unnamed Speaker]

A bottle or a Magic 8 ball.

[Ali Yost]

It's God's word given to us for every situation. But we have to communicate with the author to find the solution, AKA the Spirit.

[Unnamed Speaker]

That's where prayer comes in. Here are some resolve conflict Bible verses you can pray and meditate on as you're seeking to resolve conflict with loved ones. Know this my beloved brothers.

[Ali Yost]

Let every person be quick to hear.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Slow to speak, and slow to anger. That's James 1:19. A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. And that's Philippians 2:4. Even when we disagree with others, it's important that we don't look to our.

[Ali Yost]

Own interests, but we intentionally look to.

[Unnamed Speaker]

The interests of others. Conflict resolution in the Bible looks like listening to others, seeking to understand before we choose to argue.

[Ali Yost]

Oh my gosh, I wish I just.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Read that from the beginning.

[Ali Yost]

That was incredible. I do believe that we were on the right path, though. I mean, I feel that actually aligned with a lot of the things that I was trying to say and I was feeling in the spirit from God is just approaching every disagreement with a place of compassion and love. And if you're having a hard time accessing that type of compassion and love for others, the only place we can truly get it from is God. And so this is my challenge, or I should honestly say this is the Lord's challenge for all of us. And I also really want this to encourage us as the church to do better. If you're not already, I'm sure all of you guys are doing a really beautiful job at loving everyone. Well, so I'm not going to assume that we're not. But if we could be better at it, I feel the Lord challenging us.

[Unnamed Speaker]

To really be slow to speak and.

[Ali Yost]

Slow to get offended. There should be no spirit of offense. And I love what was said in.

[Unnamed Speaker]

That article about shifting our mindset of wanting to win and walking away from.

[Ali Yost]

A conversation being like, did I win that conversation? Were my points all communicated in a way, like, not so much looking at ourselves, but looking more at the other person and having genuine compassion and curiosity about their heart and. And where they are coming from. I believe God wants us to do that more as a church. And that can be, obviously, you know, with having conversations with people in the world who do not follow Jesus. But that also could be with conversations with people within the church. You know, there's. There's even conflict within our family and within our own body, which is, I know, breaks the Lord's heart. But ultimately, at the end of the day, every single person, every single person.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Walking this earth was made in the image of God. And we have to look different, y'all. We have to look different. And this is how we're going to.

[Ali Yost]

Look different by loving people. There's that other piece of scripture, I don't know where it is, but some of y'all probably do already, where Jesus says that they will know that you're my disciples, by the way, that you love one another. That is the thing that sets us.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Apart above all else is loving others.

[Ali Yost]

And these are just some ways of how we can love people. Loving them doesn't always mean that we're agreeing with them. Loving them doesn't always even mean that we see eye to eye on the exact same things. Loving them is actually just hearing them and, yeah, just being willing to hear one another and that there's peace. I think loving others well is also approaching it in a place of peace.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Even if you're saying things that they.

[Ali Yost]

Don'T probably want to hear or agree with, you can still deliver it with such peace, which is loving them.

[Unnamed Speaker]

It is.

[Ali Yost]

So, anyway, I just want to thank you guys for your grace, knowing that I am. Yeah, I'm just here to try to communicate to the best of my abilities what I believe the Lord wants all of us to do and to know, moving forward with just again, everything that is happening in this country and just loving everyone. I pray that the message came across well and that you were able to.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Just receive it with peace as well. I even tried to practice that today.

[Ali Yost]

Where we're just going to approach every situation as a peacemaker. I'm just really grateful for the spirit of God and I'm grateful for his love and I'm grateful for all of y'all. And I hope that this episode was fruitful. I hope that it brought you peace and a little bit of conviction that I think we all could need from time to time. Okay? I love you guys and I'm so proud of y'all. Hey, guys, can we do something cool today?

[Unnamed Speaker]

Can we show somebody how cool Jesus.

[Ali Yost]

Is by extending a little extra compassion, a little extra love? Being quicker to listen and to try to understand where people are coming from? I think that's how we can show somebody how cool Jesus is today. I love y'all. I'm so proud of you. I'm literally so proud of you. And I know the Lord is proud of you as well. And, yeah, it's an honor and I love you and I will see you next week.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Bye.

Are some of y'all still listening?

[Ali Yost]

Okay, if you're still here, that means you're a real one, which is why I'm about to share this with you. If you've already caught up on all the episodes so far and you don't wanna wait until next Friday for a new one, I have really good news for you. Subscribe to our Patreon to get early to the episodes every week, early access to merch launches or any other exciting news, and receive personalized encouraging messages or Bible verses from us. Subscribe to our [e-mail] c backslash cwcoi.

[Unnamed Speaker]

I do also want to mention that there is a way to give to.

[Ali Yost]

The podcast, so if you ever feel.

[Unnamed Speaker]

Led to donate, it blesses me so.

[Ali Yost]

Much, and it helps allow the podcast to keep running. You can donate to our PayPal at www.paypal.me backslash.

[Unnamed Speaker]

CWCOI, we appreciate y'all, and we love.

[Ali Yost]

You so, so much.