Tolerance is defined as – Demonstrating respect for others who do not share my perspective.

Another definition is the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular, the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.

Tolerance is not a word I would use to describe our country or the world for that matter these past few years!  The word itself has become very divisive.  And to tell you the truth, when I was given my option of words to choose a character trait to write a blog for, I immediately didn’t want this word!  Why, fear! And as much as I said no, I kept feeling prompted that is the exact reason I should choose this word.

The ability to have conversations peacefully about our viewpoints, beliefs, political affiliations, faith, school, and even sports teams has become rare.  Which is why in these volatile times that we seem to be living in, Tolerance is more important than ever.  The example has to start with each one of us in how we interact with each other, our families, our friends, our co-workers, at our kids’ activities, our churches, and others around us.

Author, Eric Buehrer, states it as “Proper tolerance is the outgrowth of moral character qualities such as kindness, patience, courtesy, humility, love, self-control, and courage.”  In his article, Teaching and Promoting Tolerance he shares three easy steps:

1. Listen – we must take the time to listen to what other people have to say and then engage in constructive conversation.
2. Reflect – We should take time to reflect on their viewpoint and try to understand, not agree, understand their side. Condemning and judging people will never bring them to see your point of view, but a constructive conversation might.
3. Learn – By learning about other people’s lives, cultures, beliefs, customs, we open the door to great understanding.

Tolerance is difficult to grasp.  It’s the conception that everyone has the right to have their own beliefs while also disagreeing with those beliefs at the same time.  The end goal of these conversation is not to be right, it’s about understanding another’s viewpoint with empathy and compassion, without downplaying their experiences or position.

John F. Kennedy sums tolerance up as, “Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one’s own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.”