Building Friendships with People Unlike Yourself

On this episode of Let's Talk, Jasmine Holmes, Jackie Hill Perry, and Melissa Kruger talk about building and cultivating friendships with people who aren’t just like you. This may mean someone of a different race, different life stage, different socio-economic class, or who simply has a different personality than you do. Building these friendships often requires overcoming insecurity, more communication, and a willingness to show grace over perceived slights or offenses.

It's easy to be friends with people who are just like us, but when we put time and effort into friendships with people who are different from us, rich spiritual blessings result.

Related content:

• The Unique Witness of Unlikely Friendships
• How to Reach Across the Racial Divide
• How to Be the Friend You've Always Wanted

Books Mentioned as Favorite Things

• A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot (recommended by Melissa Kruger)
• Knowing God by J. I. Packer (recommended by Melissa Kruger)
• Desiring God by John Piper (recommended by Jackie Hill Perry)
• The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom (recommended by Jasmine Holmes)
• A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alleine

Today’s episode of Let’s Talk is brought to you in part by International Justice Mission. IJM is a global nonprofit working to end slavery and violence around the world. To get an idea of what this work looks like, take this story from South Asia: Several families living in slavery were being brutally abused, poorly fed, and forced to sleep outside in make-shift tents. When IJM and local authorities heard about the abuse, they planned a rescue operation to set these families free—and that operation took place in March of this year, setting 50 people free. You can help make this kind of restoration possible by becoming a Freedom Partner and sending IJM to rescue others. Freedom Partners give a monthly gift to IJM, so IJM teams can show up month after month to rescue people from slavery and walk with survivors as they heal. Visit IJM.org/LetsTalk to join today.