The Bible’s Hidden Gems (or, Asking for Help in the Midst of Conflict)
I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. Yes, and I ask you also, my loyal companion, help these women, for they have struggled beside me in [...]
How Do You Respond When You Hear Something New?
Please receive her, and she will tell you some new things. Let her tell her story without interrupting her, and give close attention, and you will see she has got the lever of truth, that [...]
The Weirdest Common Ground Ever
Many people are bemoaning America’s vicious public square. Few are discussing the weird common ground that most of us share—and what might be the best way to address it. Two recent conversations brought this into [...]
The Second Step Toward Dialogue Is a Doozy
People ask me what my book is about. I tell them it’s about how to change from the inside out so you can talk with people who drive you nuts. They say, “Boy, do I [...]
If You’re Concerned About Listening, and You Want to See Dublin…
I just wrote this for an email list I participate in, and I thought some of you might want to know about it too: If you're concerned about the future of listening in today's noisy [...]
There Is So Much More to Listening, and Life, Than You Ever Imagined
Not everyone gets advice from a dying cat. Ours has decided to bestow a few nuggets of wisdom during her long exit. They have to do with euthanasia, as you might expect, but even more [...]
Is Dialogue Even Safe in the Trump Era?
As you may have gleaned from the last post, the state of the U.S. is troubling me on a deep level. It has, among other things, left me with no stomach for dialogue—a very strange [...]
Why We Must Listen, and Listen, and Listen Again
This isn’t about aural listening per se, but I think the lesson still applies. Today my church’s lectionary (a fixed order of sacred texts for each day of the year) prescribed the reading of Matthew [...]
Listening: You Can Always Learn More
Somewhere around fifth grade, our class had a unit on “being a good listener.” I think it lasted a week. Now, in contrast, I’m starting to think we can never learn enough about listening—or listen [...]
A Meditation on Your Adversary
I’m trying out a new meditation exercise. If you like, give it a whirl, and see what you think. Prepare for meditation in the usual way. Sit comfortably, eyes open or closed. Take a few [...]