The Power of Dialogue: God’s Invitation to Humanity

In a world where conversations are too often replaced by commands, and leaders hide behind the walls of authority, the example of God’s open invitation to dialogue is striking.

This reflection was born out of my own wrestling with the question: If the Almighty can invite us to

reason with Him, why do we so easily shut the door on one another? 

Isaiah 1:18 – “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

The Problem of Power

There is something about power, from a human perspective, that often builds a wall around

those who hold it. People in positions of influence were once the childhood friends of some,

the roommates of others, the neighbors down the street, or the employees in a workplace. In

those earlier years, they were accessible and approachable.

But what changes when they rise to positions of authority? The answer lies in the power and

control entrusted to them. Too often, this power creates distance. Dialogue — once viewed as

a tool for healing relationships — becomes something leaders avoid. It is rebranded as

weakness or compromise.

From local disputes to national conflicts, genuine conversation is now pushed to the margins,

treated as a last resort. In this, humanity forgets the image of the One in whose likeness we

were created, and instead forges a path away from the way of the Creator. If the God of

heaven and earth, in His supreme nature, can invite flawed humanity to reason with Him, why is dialogue so often treated by human leaders as weakness?

In a time when our world is increasingly polarized, James Laing reminds us:

True dialogue is a bridge — it connects people through active listening, sharpens understanding of diverse perspectives, and ignites curiosity with meaningful questions.

The Invitation of God

God’s invitation to “come and reason” reveals something profoundly different about His

character: He holds absolute power, yet wields it with mercy. This is the defining line between God and humanity.

For human beings, absolute power tends to corrupt. History offers sobering reminders — such as the case of Adolf Hitler — that people are ill-equipped to handle unchecked authority

without it leading to destruction. By contrast, God uses His unlimited power as a channel for

extending grace and calling His people back into relationship with Him.

The Call to Respond

From infancy to adulthood, people crave power. But thank God that not all such cravings are

granted, for if they were, the world would be unrecognizable. Those who seize power by force

leave a trail of devastation, written clearly in the pages of history.

God, however, holds all power yet still says: “Come, let us reason together.” This is not simply

a summons to answer for personal sins, but an invitation to partner with Him in addressing the sins of a generation. It is a call to the communion of mercy — a conversation that can heal the root of human failure: sin.

If man spoke the invitation, it would echo with shallow desires: “Come, let us plot how to hoard wealth, chase fleeting fame, tighten our grip on power, trample others, pilfer what isn’t ours, and paint over our souls with empty religion.” But God, being God, knew the true root and understood the necessity of healing the foundation, which is sin itself.

This truth is clearly illustrated in the account of the paralytic man (Matthew 9:2–8; Mark 2:3–12; Luke 5:18–26). As Matthew records:

And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven (Matthew 9:2, ESV). 

Jesus first addressed the man’s sin before healing his body, revealing that true restoration begins at the root.

May we have the courage to step into God’s dialogue of mercy, and the humility to extend that same invitation to others.

References

• The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). Zondervan.

• goodcourse.co. How the Quadrivium Shapes Learning and Thinking.