Life is messy. Jesus plainly told us we would have trouble in this world BUT HE overcame the world. Conflict equals trouble in our modern world. Conflict-resolution, conflict-management, conflict-avoidance, conflict vs. bullying, and conflict-anxiety symptoms were some of the topics that ended up in my Google search bar when I did a search. There are college-degree programs with conflict resolution as a major. You cannot browse your social media feed without finding conflict within a minute or so. Twitter is one continuous conflict feed. Our political system is ridden with it.
Where does conflict fit into our Christian world? What have we done to manufacture it? Conflict will be present until the New Jerusalem so, what role does it have in our walk? Scripture tells us to go to our brother when he has wronged us.
Matthew 18:15 “If your brother sins against you, go and confront him privately. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over…”
We know that verse pretty well but what is our starting point? There is a form of conflict that begins in our hearts. One that quickly ascribes motives and intentions to our neighbor. That’s the one I want to discuss today (and because I need this blog myself).
Anytime you get close to people, organizations, relationships, schools, jobs, any kind of human gathering of two or more or yes, even church, YOU WILL HAVE CONFLICT. You will see inconsistencies, problems, personality quirks, things you would like to change, differences in opinions, and such. You only see these things when you are close to them. From afar, our rose-colored glasses work perfectly. It’s part of our common humanity.
We are broken vessels only complete when we are filled by the Spirit.
What WE choose to do when the emotions start to well up and we come in contact with these “selfish, inconsistent, draconian hypocrites” (ourselves actually) determines our path. Contentment and happiness in relationships, churches, jobs, schools and all other areas come from an earnest determination to look at our own hearts. We will wrong others and we will be wronged. Period. That will happen.
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”. Psalm 139:23-24
Finding Yahweh in all things will resolve conflict. When we pray and walk through these things with the Spirit, we see with different eyes. Sometimes the inconsistencies we see are when grace has been shown in situations we know nothing about. Sometimes extra time is necessary to allow people to fall and be picked up again. God is working in their life and it is not the right season for the seed to take root. Sometimes holding to Biblical standards comes across harsh and judgmental; sometimes it is full of mercy, grace, and forgiveness. But most of all, it requires us to go deeper into someone’s messiness, to see their heart, where they come from, why they acted the way they do understand their reactions… Assumption is a dangerous ground in the kingdom.
“Know this my brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” James 1:19
It’s hard to be in conflict with someone when you see their heart. Social media and texting are dangerous places for conflict since you can’t know the heart, the intention, the expressions of the person. Can you imagine the frustration of Jesus working with his disciples? They saw the Messiah up close and personal. The disciples were men of all manner of life coming together for an eternal purpose and perspective. The Messiah was among them. And yet they forgot, bickered, lied, denied, betrayed, ran, coveted favor and comfort, and all those things we still crave.
How did HE do it? HE looked at the heart. Paul, Peter, David… HE looked upon them and forgave much. We should follow HIS example. Maranatha!
Jayme
