What wisdom and help for everyone under the sun! We all can name scenarios where we have seen this verse played out and we can also name a long list of damage that can be done when someone else fails to try to understand, to ask questions and to just talk for the sake of expressing an opinion.
My husband and I enjoy watching the madness of the TV show 90 Day Fiancé. The show features real people who have engaged in online international dating and are now seeking to marry an international person. I enjoy the cultural contexts of the show and the unique relationship circumstances. At times there’s quite a bit of bickering and a lot of it has cultural differences at its core. Cultural context is vital to these couples understanding one another. A spin off from this show is The Family Chantal. A Dominican man marries an American woman and their families have great drama and do not get along. I believe this started when the American family refused to get out of the vehicle at the Dominican grandmother’s home when they arrived to share a meal prepared by her. They looked at the feral dogs and dirt floor and didn’t even get out of the van! This is a GREAT offense in most cultures! This hasn’t really been mentioned in the show as a root of their problem but it’s certainly a contributing factor.
Last night they used a coconut to pass to the person speaking. This eliminates the opportunity to interrupt and gives greater space to listen. They heard each other. They responded well. Maybe they can get along. We’ll see!
Nobody wakes up in the morning saying they wish to be a fool today! Yet many choose to do ignore the wisdom in this verse on a regular basis. I too am guilty of not listening well. This is timeless advice from God’s word that we can all add to the long list of areas we’d like to improve in.
Let’s stop and hear those around us today. That’s working towards being a peacemaker instead of stirring up dissension. How we speak to others is important.
Jeni Martin Johnson 
Leave a Reply