Scriptures: Matthew 18:12-17, Proverbs 19:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:15

No matter who you are or where you are in life, you will have to deal with personal conflict. You will have disagreements with others, from family and friends to coworkers and even strangers. Many people try to avoid conflict at all costs. But there is a simple and biblical way to approach our conflicts that helps us restore relationships and deal with division. In fact, conflict is actually an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ and to bear witness to the Gospel--and to teach others how they too can resolve their differences.

"Sometimes overlooking an offense is not only the wrong thing to do, but it is the harmful thing to do. There are some offenses that can’t be overlooked and they shouldn’t be overlooked. In fact, the person needs to be confronted, not only because they have hurt you, but because you also know that they will continue in that behavior and therefore hurt others. The more you let it go the more it feasters and the more it feasters the more bitter you get. Then, eventually we go and talk to someone else about it. If there is one thing I learned, when somebody really hurts you it is impossible for you not to tell somebody else about it. Frankly, this is when what could have been a molehill turns into a mountain. When you go to a person about a problem who is neither a part of the problem, nor can be a solution to the problem you just made that person a part of the problem." --Dr. Merritt

Keywords: conflict, disagreement, argument, fight, situation, grace, forgiveness, confrontation, advice, example, against, wander, shepherd, Christ, Jesus, unloving, loving, revenge, restore, retribution, private, fault, unresolved, fester