Conflict

Readings for today: Acts 15-16

Managing conflict is hard. Whether it is within our family, among friends, at school or work, or in the church; it’s never easy. There are a lot of feelings to process. Feelings of disappointment, hurt, and perhaps even betrayal. There are a lot of expectations to manage. Areas where we failed or were let down. Promises made and perhaps not lived up to. As we navigate conflict, it’s easy to become defensive and take things personally. This often results in anger and frustration and even more hurt feelings which is why so many avoid conflict like the plague.

Church conflict can be especially hard because there is an expectation that we are to treat one another with the love of God. So when we feel let down or people don’t live up to our expectations or God moves in an unexpected new direction, it can be hard for us to process. The same was true in the early church. So many of the early believers came from a Jewish background. Their entire framework of understanding God and His work in the world came through the Law and covenantal signs like circumcision. As such, they just didn’t have categories for what the Holy Spirit was doing among the Gentiles. They truly believed in their hearts that in order to follow Jesus, one must become a Jew first. At the same time, the miracles of salvation were undeniable and the testimonies of not only Barnabas and Paul but Peter as well were powerfully persuasive. So the early church sought the Lord in prayer and issued a decree that was absolutely radical for its time. Jews and Gentiles shared in the same Holy Spirit and the ties that bound them together would not be based on circumcision or the adoption of a Jewish way of life but rather a rejection of idolatry and sexual immorality. Sadly, this wouldn’t be the final word as this issue would plague the early church for years.

Conflict also gets personal. After the intense meeting of the early church, Paul expresses a desire to go visit the different churches he and Barnabas have planted to encourage them. The Bible doesn’t tell us why Paul felt so compelled but I wonder if it wasn’t to help them understand the debate and decisions of the first church council. Barnabas readily agrees with Paul’s plan with one caveat. He wants to bring John Mark with them. John Mark had already proven unreliable on an earlier journey so Paul wants to leave him behind. The disagreement gets so heated it sadly spells the end of their missionary partnership. Barnabas ends us going with John Mark and Paul picks up a new partner in Silas and they go their separate ways. The first “church split”, if you will, in history.

No matter what conflict you may be facing in your life, God calls us to forgiveness and reconciliation. God calls us to release those who have hurt us from the burden of the pain they have caused. In so doing, we too are set free from any bitterness that might have taken root in our hearts. God further calls us to reconciliation. This step is harder because it is a two-way street. It requires both parties to humble themselves before the Lord, confess where they went wrong, and rebuild their relationship. So who is God calling you to forgive? With whom is God calling you pursue reconciliation? How are you letting the Holy Spirit lead you as manage the conflicts that may be present in your life today?

Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays

Conflict

Readings for today: Acts 17:1-18:18

Jesus was clear that His followers would face trials and tribulation. We will face hostility and conflict and persecution. People will attack us for our beliefs and they will consider our way of life a threat. They will not understand why we live the way we do and even try to have us thrown in prison for our faith. We’ve seen this happen throughout history and even in many places around the world today. Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart. It will place you in conflict with the principalities and powers of this present age. It will not win you friends or make you much of an influencer. If it does, you’re probably doing it wrong. The way of Jesus remains a “stumbling block” to the religious and “foolishness” to the irreligious so you will take heat from both sides. This is why so many struggle to remain faithful over the long haul. Frankly, it’s why so many of my pastoral colleagues are burning out, washing out, or opting out of full-time ministry. They get tired of taking the shots. They get tired of having to wake up to yet another fight. They get tired of being beaten down and targeted for their faith.

There is a growing hostility in our nation today towards followers of Jesus. Our beliefs and our ethics pose a threat to the emerging moral order. Our views on gender and sexual ethics, in particular, have not just come under fire, they are considered abusive and dangerous. Our beliefs about God and His final judgment on sin and death and evil are considered laughable, intolerant, and unacceptable. Our commitment to Jesus as “the way, the truth, and the life” is considered exclusive, biased, and narrow-minded. It’s becoming increasingly clear that anyone who holds such views will be denied positions in government or business or the classroom. Anyone who proclaims such views will be sanctioned or cancelled in the public sphere. They will be labeled a hate-monger, immoral, and a bigot. So what’s a Christian to do?

We follow the example of Paul. Everywhere Paul went, he faced hostility. He dealt with conflict. He was shouted down. He was disrespected. He was chased by lynch mobs and dragged before the courts. He was attacked and ridiculed for what he preached and still he persevered. He endured. He refused to repay evil with evil. He resisted the temptation to use human means to achieve divine ends. He turned the other cheek. He stood his ground without lashing out. He kept on preaching even in the midst of all his pain and suffering. He trusted God with the results. We would do well to learn from him.

Readings for tomorrow: 1 Thessalonians 1-5