He will not break a bruised reed
or quench a smouldering wick
until he brings justice to victory.
No matter how good a certain answer is or how true a given observation is, those truths will only be recognized by those who feel that they have a truly free choice to reject the solution or deny the observation. True justice cannot be brought about through force.
Instead of focusing on the inherent superiority of our solution, what we must strive to do is to listen carefully to the other and hear his needs. In so doing, we can share whatever truth we have to offer in a manner that is uniquely tailored to the recipient.
We have one incredible advantage working for us. As Ronald Rolheiser has written in The Holy Longing, we all share the same desire for a brightly burning fire within ourselves. At the core, our desires arise from the same place. Show people how to kindle that internal fire, and they will stoke it.
We spend so much time speaking from our own point of view, expecting the other to understand us because we know that what we have to say is true, that we fail to see that they have a different perspective. When they don't hear us right away, we keep pushing, until we have bruised the reed, or worse, doused the smoldering wick of their spiritual fire.
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