Wednesday, October 15, 2008

waging peace

Last Sunday we thought about "The Gospel & Your Enemies" from Romans 12:14-21 (Listen Here).

It's Wednesday, about midway through the week. So, how are you doing on your assignment of taking one step, by faith, to "wage peace" with someone with whom you've experienced conflict?

Don't let the week slip away! Maybe your step is to pray. Maybe your step is an email or a phone call or a face to face conversation. Trust the Lord and go for it.

The very best resource that I have encountered in this area of conflict resolution and relational reconciliation is Ken Sande's book, The PeaceMaker. This is such a great read! Put it on your list.

Also Allen Peek sent me this awesome Spurgeon quote this morning that fits well with the idea of absorbing evil and in so doing defusing it. And also Romans 12:21. . . .

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. --Romans 12:21

I wish, brothers and sisters, that we could all imitate "the pearl oyster"--

A hurtful particle intrudes itself into its shell, and this vexes and grieves it.
It cannot reject the evil, but what does it do but 'cover' it with a precious substance extracted out of its own life, by which it turns the intruder into a pearl!

Oh, that we could do so with the provocations we receive from our fellow Christians, so that pearls of patience, gentleness, and forgiveness might be bred within us by that which otherwise would have harmed us.

1 comment:

Suzette said...

Loved that book. It has great examples of excactly what it would look like to deal with painful conflict in a Christ like way.

I thought you said it just right in the service. JESUS absorbs the pain and hurt. Jesus Christ on the cross crucified and his blood is the healing tonic for the extreme hurts in our hearts and souls. It is the only thing that can take away the hurt as if it was never there and allow me to respond in love and kindness.

The Spurgeon quote and your comment: "fits well with the idea of absorbing evil and in so doing defusing it" seems to muddy the water a bit. Reminds me of the phrase "God never gives you more than you can handle."

Does He never give us more than we can handle? OR Does he always give us more than we can handle so we must come to Him for a way out?

Both your comments work with the addition of one really important thing. Who absorbs it? Where does that wonderful substance come from that takes that irritant and makes it into a pearl. Not from any place inside of me thats for sure. I have tried and TRIED. Did not have much success for long until I was down on my knees with tears in my eyes asking and asking and asking.