Inevitably where two people co-exist, conflict comes. As much as we might have in common with another person, we cannot agree 100% of the time. The question we face is: will this disagreement break the relationship or can it be used to strengthen it?
God desires for us to live in harmony and unity with one another. That begins with a willingness by both parties to listen to the heart of the other. God’s Word in Matthew 5 and Matthew 18 gives us the biblical scenario for solving issues. Ideally, when both pay attention to the Lord’s nudging, a compromise can be reached.
According to Matthew 5, sister #1 at the altar is prepared to give an offering to the Lord when she remembers a sin she committed against sister #2. She leaves the altar to reconcile with her sister and then returns to make her offering to the Lord. The situation presented in Matthew 18 involves sister #2 seeking reconciliation with sister #1 by confronting her privately regarding the sin committed against her.
Regardless of which sister we may be in each scenario, the Lord calls us to reconciliation. We need to be willing to humble ourselves in both situations. We need to seek forgiveness if we sinned and forgive the one who offended us. The Lord’s way of handling conflict requires that we seek to do everything possible to live in peace and harmony with others (Romans 12:18). May we indeed seek to please Him in our relationships and watch ourselves grow from handling conflict the Lord’s way.
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About Beckie Stewart
Beckie Stewart has been married to her college sweetheart for almost 25 years. They have five children, the youngest adopted from Kazakhstan. She loves Jesus and discipling others to love Him too. She enjoys writing, reading, scrapbooking, and watching the Lord work in prayer. Her writings can also be read on Exploring Adoption, Mommies Magazine, and Ministry-to-Children.
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