It seems that people with different ideologies find it increasingly more difficult to get along. We see it in politics and in other aspects of our life. In general conference, our leaders encouraged us to be kind and civil with others—especially those who don’t believe the same way we do.

Two articles recently published on the Latter-day Saint Charities blog provide practical ideas on how to demonstrate humanity and deal with others as children of God. Although the articles are written to humanitarian and nonprofit organizations, they contain many great ideas for all of us.

Here are three key points from the article “How to Be a Humanitarian, Part 1:”

• See individuals as God sees them. Look past the obvious differences and see the divine in each person and the common humanity that is much stronger than our differences.
• Seek to understand their experiences. Listen first. Question your assumptions. If something that the person says feels uncomfortable to you, ask yourself why you feel that way and whether what he or she says might be true.
• Respect their agency as they define their own future. Honor each person’s right to create their own future.

The article “How to Be a Humanitarian, Part 2” explains several ways to deal with others.

• Build bridges of understanding. Don’t engage in contentious behavior. Prioritize relationships over differences in perspective.
• Be kind. Don’t engage in negative talk about others. Sometimes it is more important to be kind than to be right.
• Respect others’ beliefs. Avoid pushing personal beliefs on others and let your good actions do the talking.

The post How to Be a Humanitarian first appeared on LDS365: Resources from the Church & Latter-day Saints worldwide.