WATCH: Ellen DeGeneres On The Importance Of Being Kind To People You Disagree With

Celebrity TV host Ellen DeGeneres found herself in trouble recently, after being caught watching an NFL game with former Republican President George W. Bush. Many of Ellen's tribe - those on the progressive Left - were upset that she would spend time with a man they detest.

But Ellen's response was refreshing - and to my mind rather surprising. Have a look for yourself (in the first half of this video):

Rather than backing down and apologising for enjoying the company of a former Republican President, Ellen stood her ground, saying we need to be friends with people having different views to us.

In a world where the cultural elites are increasingly dictating what we can and can't say, and with whom we should and shouldn't associate with, such honesty and integrity is refreshing.

Christians looking at this will see an attitude that was beautifully modeled in the first place by our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. As Christian Pastor and blogger Murray Campbell wrote recently about Ellen's actions:

Jesus expressed kindness to people who were unlike him. Jesus chose to be friends with people whom the cultural elites thought were unworthy of friendship. Jesus loved those who were unlikable, regardless of their station in life: a national leader or a wealthy businessman, a child, or a prostitute. As Jesus did so, his detractors retorted with similar moronic style, “‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’

It's inspiring to see someone like Ellen standing her ground against the woke police. But Christians have an even greater reason to build bridges rather than walls with those who disagree with us. And if ever there was a time to build those bridges, it's now.