“Yes, but” conversations continue to happen in every corner of my life, no matter how clearly I articulate my frustration to the people involved. The response does not seem to be age, education, relationship, or location dependent. People of all shapes, sizes, and views have a conversation with another, agreeing with the information, logic, and conclusion, with an added caveat which means “yes I understand, follow, and see the next step; however, I have a different view for reasons I cannot or will not share with you”. Is it really so hard to express where the differences in views are?
As critical as I am, I find myself doing the same thing to others several times a day! Yesterday and today, I caught myself wondering aloud about my own inability to deal with my approach to differences in conversations. The struggle to clarify just where I disagree shows itself in casual, work, personal, and parental conversations. Nothing seems to be immune! In many ways the statement is, for me, an acknowledgement that I listened to the person but did not really hear what they were saying.
The realization that I do not hear what people are saying is leading me to the center of the real problem. I actually think I know what others are going to say before they say it. I also often believe I know that the right answer is in most situations regardless of my position or credibility on the subject! There are times where the role of self keep taking precedence, and it is totally unwarranted and just plain wrong!
The extent to which my foolishness carries continues right into my relationship with God. God gives us an unearned, beyond measure, offer of relationship, acceptance, love, mercy, and grace. “We all agree, don’t we, that it was by embracing what God did for him that Abraham was declared fit before God?” (Romans 4.9)
We all agree, don’t we? My advice is the same I am giving to myself. Our mission is to embrace God. Simple, and direct – no buts.
