This headline blared across my computer screen Tuesday morning as I did my daily peruse of FoxNews:
“Thou shalt not steal? Christian college, alum battle over domain name”
We see headlines like this frequently, Christian against Christian in very public view. May it never be! Jesus teaches a dispute resolution process that is very different from legal action.
He calls it “reconciliation” in Matthew 5:25.
"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.”
Jesus’ point is not who is right and who is wrong. It is that brothers and sisters in his family should never go to a potentially immoral judge because the ruling could hurt either party unfairly. Isn’t that the last thing that should happen between family members?
And isn’t it even worse when the entire family is embarrassed in public?
We were born to attract the world by our mutual sacrificial love toward each other, not repel the world by our hate. Is it any wonder that the world does not know Jesus personally?
The solution to this problem lies in our lack of unity and in our study of the engineer’s model in Streamside, which is coming soon to your bookshelf or Kindle.
This does not mean reconciliation is easy. Close your eyes and picture someone you have not reconciled with. I am haunted by at least ten that I can think of in just a moment, because the memories of our parting are so painful. How many did you think of?
You see, we have a very long road to travel together, those of us with the same DNA, but a rushing stream of peace awaits!
“Thou shalt not steal? Christian college, alum battle over domain name”
We see headlines like this frequently, Christian against Christian in very public view. May it never be! Jesus teaches a dispute resolution process that is very different from legal action.
He calls it “reconciliation” in Matthew 5:25.
"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.”
Jesus’ point is not who is right and who is wrong. It is that brothers and sisters in his family should never go to a potentially immoral judge because the ruling could hurt either party unfairly. Isn’t that the last thing that should happen between family members?
And isn’t it even worse when the entire family is embarrassed in public?
We were born to attract the world by our mutual sacrificial love toward each other, not repel the world by our hate. Is it any wonder that the world does not know Jesus personally?
The solution to this problem lies in our lack of unity and in our study of the engineer’s model in Streamside, which is coming soon to your bookshelf or Kindle.
This does not mean reconciliation is easy. Close your eyes and picture someone you have not reconciled with. I am haunted by at least ten that I can think of in just a moment, because the memories of our parting are so painful. How many did you think of?
You see, we have a very long road to travel together, those of us with the same DNA, but a rushing stream of peace awaits!
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