Title: The Challenge Of Conflict / Topic: Church Commitment

Today’s Reading: 1 Kings 20; 1 Kings 21; 2 Chronicles 17; Colossians 3

Scripture: Colossians 3:12-14
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Observation: These are beautiful verses which describe the interaction between believers in the local church. Notice that Paul, speaking to the people, instructs "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience." In other words, we have to put on (like clothing) all these graces in our dealings with others in the church. We are to "bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another."

Application: The point of all this is that Paul obviously envisions a church family with interpersonal conflict and problems. Conflict is the only reason that you need to "bear with each other" and "forgive... grievances."

Unfortunately, my experience is that many church people do not follow this instruction. They either simply hold grudges or leave that church and go to another. The problem with this is that the working out of problems helps the church family to grow in Christlike character, forgiveness and love. Many people do not grow because they continually hop from church to church whenever a conflict or offense arises.

Bottom line: Commit yourself to a local church and work out the interpersonal issues that arise. It will produce a harvest of graciousness and character like nothing else.

Prayer: Thank You that You put us in church families so that we would have others to help us grow. Strengthen us to hang in there and let Your grace be formed in us no matter what struggles may arise. May our church family be an example of love, understanding, and forgiveness.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.