Here are five benefits to know someone different than you:

1. Serve better

As already mentioned, one benefit of knowing those who are not just like you is that we benefit from a variety of gifts in the body. God intentionally did not make us all the same. God has given each of us spiritual gifts according to His great wisdom (Rom. 12:6).

The purposes of these gifts aren’t so that we can flaunt them or keep them for our own good. Just the opposite (12:3)—the purpose of spiritual gifts is for the benefit of others. By knowing those who are not like us, we learn to serve others with the varied gifts God has given us for their benefit and their good.

2. A taste of heaven now

Heaven will be filled with people from Indonesia, Dubai, Zambia, the Appalachian Mountains of East Tennessee, and the Grand Cayman Islands. Worshipping on the last day will be people speaking French, German, Spanish, English, Tagalog, and Arabic. And today we can get a foretaste of heaven when we step out of our comfort zones to get to know someone, not like us.

3. Edification

Along with a variety of gifts, we all have a variety of experiences. Life doesn’t look the exact same for every person. Unless someone gets to know me they’d never know that I traveled abroad, played the flute or that I have had four miscarriages.

God can use the experiences of others to encourage our faith, help us make decisions, or provide comfort. God’s Word is filled with Scriptures encouraging us to build one another up. The Lord may just use that person who is not like you to bring the unique comfort you need from Him.