Recently I read a quote by Max Lucado that said, ‘Conflict is inevitable, combat is optional.’ I pondered over this for a while and started to think what that looked like in its extreme circumstances. I saw two groups of individuals on opposite sides of the street engaged in a very spirited disagreement. Then the individuals stepped into the street with knives, broken bottles, and bats. Soon, there were people wounded lying in the street; some were bleeding and others were dead.
Sometimes, as people of faith, we believe that the only way for that statement to become true is to look at the news and see the escalating violence. But what if I tell you that we live out this statement more often than we care to admit. The dictionary defines conflict as a state or condition marked by a lack of agreement or harmony. We can all relate to this definition because we have experienced that lack of harmony in our lives. Combat is defined as fighting between two groups of armed forces. So, when the conflict escalates to combat there can be serious consequences.
How does that relate to people of faith? You see, even in the house of God, there will be conflict. Why? We are all different and sometimes it’s difficult to see things the same way as someone else. So, what do we do? Proverbs 15:1 NLT says, “A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.” Many times, we forgo this route, and the situation goes into combat mode. We do not fight with knives and bats, no, we use our words and influence and soon our brother or sister is lying wounded and broken.
Unfortunately, this happens where people gather, even in the house of the Lord. While it is the way of the world, we should be different. We need to be the example of how to disagree without wounding and leaving each broken and dying. God extended grace into our lives, let us extend grace so that we can be the people God calls us to be.
Thought for Today: Friend, let us work on healing, not wounding.
Have a blessed day and walk in faith and victory.
Victory Walk 