Get the appWinsome Conversations in Divisive TimesSample
How We View Others
One of the most complex truths of communication is our perception of people and events determines our reality. Once created, our perception is extremely difficult to change. Our perception is deeply influenced by stereotypes, which are predictive judgments we make of an entire group.
While stereotypes are not inherently false, in today’s argument culture they often cast people or entire groups in a negative light. Stereotypes can be fostered by meeting a person from a particular group and then expecting all people from that group to have the same convictions or beliefs. Or, stereotypes can be developed by what we read about a group or glean from the internet.
Take this simple test. What is the first word that comes to mind when reading the following?
Trump supporters
Black Lives Matter
Democrat
Feminist
Critical race theory
Republican
Planned Parenthood
Evangelical
Anti-mask advocate
Biden supporters
Were you surprised by how quickly a word came to mind? If so, what prompted your impression? The Scriptures seem to advocate a stance of listening, where a person gets to define who they are and what they believe.
Scripture
About this Plan
Have you ever had a conversation become heated and spiral out of control? The key to having a winsome conversation is to understand the nature of our convictions and how to check our impressions of others. In this seven-day reading plan, we’ll explore how to view people graciously, correct negative impressions of others, and construct winsome conversations with others.
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We would like to thank InterVarsity Press for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: https://www.ivpress.com/winsome-conviction
