Handling Conflict with Other Believers // Matthew 18:15

Yesterday we looked at using our words constructively to build up another by speaking the truth in love. Today’s verse from Matthew 18:15 gives us words from Jesus as to how to handle conflict with another believer. His wisdom was to handle it in private, looking for common ground in our agreements, confession in our differences, and reconciliation in our relationships. That seems to run counter to our human nature, doesn’t it? When we are in conflict, we look at others to affirm our position. We don’t want to be on an island unto ourselves, so we draw lines and take sides. The problem with this is it makes our conflicts the business of people who aren’t involved. Then, if you find reconciliation, other people who might not have been able to say their piece now have to deal with their own turmoil, inner or otherwise. So let’s hear and heed Jesus’ advice to win back our broken relationships and not experience the kinds of losses that can leave us wounded long term, if not forever.