Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Conflict”
Our Bible verse for today: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” Matthew 22:37-38 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “We need to understand conflict and handle it correctly”
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” It sounds so right. And yet, it can be so hard to do. Over the years I’ve had some “neighbors” I didn’t like very much. Not just the kind who lived next door, but the also the neighbors who worked in the next cubicle, or played on the same softball team, or worshiped in the next pew. Some people can be so hard to get along with! (And I’m certain plenty of people have thought that about me too.)
Sadly, since we live in a broken and sin-filled world, conflict is part of the human experience. However there are many different kinds of conflict and there are many different reasons for it. Much conflict is bad and unnecessary, but some of it is good and needed. Some conflict occurs on a grand scale, involves entire nations, and is often fueled by ethnic differences, border disputes, power struggles, and competing economic priorities. But most conflict is between individuals. It stems from broken relationships, poor communication, jealousy, greed, insecurity, and much more that is ugly and destructive in inter-personal relationships.
Sometimes conflict is necessary and right, such as when a nation must defend itself against an aggressor, or when an individual must take a stand for righteousness and justice, or when Jesus had to cleanse the Temple from the activities that were defiling that holy place. But many other times conflict is wrong and destructive.
How can we know the difference and how can we determine an appropriate response to conflict? All this month we will explore conflict from a Biblical perspective. Fortunately for us, the Bible provides very straight forward and practical advice and instruction about all aspects of conflict. As we delve into what the scripture teaches on the subject we will be enlightened, encouraged, and probably frequently convicted. And hopefully by the time we’re done, we’ll all be better at properly (Biblically) handling conflict. I look forward to exploring this with you.
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 