came to him. Parents often put class ahead of interaction. They often feel they have achieved so much because of perhaps one electoral portfolio they are holding. They place guards around themselves and place bars and processes through which anyone that would see them have to go through. Some of them are only available to the upper class while they estrange the middle and lower class from them. They believe they are higher animals and thus, cannot listen to lower animals. Parents have to show example to their wards in how they interact with people. They should follow in the cue of Abraham Lincoln who listened to everyone.
Children easily follow the path their parents create and if they follow by parents example, the future could be filled with segregation where class becomes the factor that characterizes one’s existence. Parents have to lead by example and teach their wards to interact with people regardless of class. They should learn to listen to every child that comes to them. By doing this, they are developing leadership virtues.
The fact that you listen to everyone does not mean you accept everything said hook line and sinker. Abraham Lincoln observed that some of the things people told him were sometimes wrong. If he accepts everything, he could be developing political enemies and straining relationship where such never existed. You have to filter all you hear on the screen of truth. Before reacting to the statements of a person, do an investigation and confirm that what the person is saying is actually true.
Do not just conclude that something is wrong or right because someone told you that. Some people are mischief-makers trying to cause division amongst the people.
For Abraham to desire his son to learn this; he believed that the young man stood as the future in his place and that he would still face the same challenge as he was facing in school or elsewhere. The very fact that he was the president’s son was enough to attract people to him with their lies story. He wanted him to know as a child that while it is courtesy listening to everyone, he had to take what he heard and measured them to the scale of truth and only take those he considers as truth. As a parent, your wards have to apply this principle. You have to teach them that as much as there are friends, there are some who poach around to cause mischief, and disappear when they have achieved their aim. While they should try as much as possible to listen to everyone, they must not gulp in the words they hear hook line and sinker, rather they should quantify the words and be alert to true and mischief persons alike. Many persons have had their careers tarnished by the words people have said.
Rumormongers have destroyed the credibility of some persons because they made these persons as enemies to the general cause. You do not have to be a tool that will bring down another person by accepting false tales.
If someone comes to tell you some things about any person, do confirm from them if what they say is truth and ask that they do come and confirm the words before the person about whom they are talking. You would observe that such persons would quiver if their tale is false or boldly follow you if their tale is right.
The tongue is a very dangerous tool. The bible records that though small as it may be, it does great things and can bring a great man down. Control your tongue and use your ears right. Filter what you hear in the screen of truth.