“I would rather work with pagans than with other Christians!”
My friend’s statement wouldn’t be particularly surprising for an agnostic or atheist to make. But he’s a minister. Why can believers in Jesus sometimes be so difficult and nasty? How does that resonate with the way Jesus told us to resolve conflict?
In ancient Mesopotamia, Abraham’s son Isaac showed a gracious way to deal with conflict that foreshadowed the radically peaceful ways of the not-yet-born Messiah. Although Isaac was an outsider in the land of the Philistines, he had become conspicuously wealthy. Out of spite, the locals filled in his wells. (That’s a big problem in an arid country!) To keep the peace, King Abimelech ordered Isaac to hit the trail (Genesis 26:16).
So Isaac moved and reopened wells his father had dug. The locals squawked about that too. But rather than fight, Isaac moved again. And again he experienced conflict with the residents over water rights. Finally, after a third move, Isaac found water and peace. Eventually, he would prosper more than ever.
It’s often difficult to know when to fight and when to move on. Jesus was a man of peace, who willingly sacrificed His life for us. Isaiah 53 prophesied how He would be “unjustly condemned” (Isaiah 53:8). He was “led like a lamb to the slaughter,” yet “He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). But another Scripture states that there is also “a time for war” (Ecclesiastes 3:8).
For now, the apostle Paul gives us a worthy goal: “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18).
Lord, please help us to know when it’s time to dig in our heels for a noble cause, and when it’s time to relinquish what is rightfully ours, pack up, and dig another well.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 14:15-31
More:
Read Luke 6:27-36 to see Jesus’ advice for dealing with—and avoiding—conflict. What does James 4:1-6 add about the root causes of violence and verbal squabbles?
Next:
What is causing conflict in your life today? Is it something worth fighting for? Are your motives pure regarding this matter?
eppistle on September 15, 2011 at 9:18 am
Is this a battle worth fighting? It’s a question Christians should take seriously, because people within and without the church are turned off with the infighting within the church. It’s the devil’s strategy to get us fighting with each other so that we won’t fight against him. When it comes to standing up for our rights, we should heed the Apostle Paul’s words: “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers” (I Corinthians 6:7,8). In other words, it’s better to be cheated than to be a cheater.
Of course there are some battles worth fighting for – particularly when there is gross immorality (I Corinthians 5) or gross heresy (I Corinthians 15) that needs to be addressed. But even then, we should realize that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against demonic forces (Ephesians 6:12), and that we should confront the offenders in love with the goal of winning them over (Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1).
tim gustafson on September 15, 2011 at 9:23 am
Excellent, excellent point, eppistle! Is this a battle worth fighting? We should always stop to ask that question.
I think it’s very telling that Isaac didn’t fight when he should have (see the same chapter in Genesis, where Isaac did not defend his wife). Like us, Isaac was all too human.
Some things are worth fighting for, but many things are not. I believe that in this case, Isaac made the right choice to abandon the well and move on.
winn collier on September 15, 2011 at 10:48 am
Knee deep in this right now, as I’m digging into the Sermon on the Mount. Pulling together Jesus as a “peacemaker” as well as the one who “brought a sword, not peace” is a difficult task.