We approach settlement by preparing. This means getting ready, organizing or planning. Everything that is to honour God requires preparation. We are God’s messengers of peace which require us to prepare the grounds for God’s intervention through Christ Jesus. Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2 say I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. Matthew 3:3; Luke 3: 4 also say prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. These biblical quotes refer to each of us also.
The Lord’s paths are devoid of unjust conflicts and disputes. If we lay a good foundation, God will help us to build on it. God has prepared for those who love him, 1 Corinthians 2:9. We must prepare the grounds for the Lord’s peace through conflict avoidance or resolution. Just as God told Jeremiah to tell his people to prepare bucklers and shields, and advance for battle in Jeremiah 46:3 God is equally calling us to prepare to settle the battles of conflicts among his people. How do we prepare?
Look for factual evidence
Jesus asked the woman accused of adultery in John 8:3-11 that woman, where are your accusers? She said no one Lord. Jesus said neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more. Zacchaeous also confronted his accusers in Luke 19:8 that behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold. Pilate asked Jesus in Matthew 27:11; Mark 15:2; Luke 23:3 that are you the king of the Jews? Jesus said, you have said so. In John 18:36 Jesus answered that my kingship is not of this world. The voyage to discover evidence is godly and biblical.
Solomon sought the facts concerning the ownership of the disputed child when he said in 1 Kings 3:25 that divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. John the Baptist’s disciples enquired from him about Jesus in John 3:26-28 why Jesus was baptizing people? John replied that I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him. In Matthew 11:13 the people confronted Jesus with a question in expectation and controversy: if Christ was the messiah who is to come, or shall they look for another? Only with true facts can we pursue conflict avoidance and resolution by God. We are foremost ambassadors of truth and we must live up to God’s expectation in all circumstances.
Understand the issues in controversy
Jesus asked his disciples in Matthew 16:13-14, who do men say that the son of man is? And they replied some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. Probing further in verse 15 Jesus asked, but who do you say that I am? Simon Peter replied in verse 16, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus was interested to understand the confusion about his persona.
Also, Jesus in seeking to understand the controversy about his question in Matthew 22:42 that what do people think of the Christ? Whose son is he? They said to him, the son of David. Because Jesus always spoke in parables, the disciples sought to understand issues of controversy in private. Jesus in response said to them in Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10 that to you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is in parables. Such character minimizes conflict or makes it easier to resolve with far reaching results.
The power to understand is a secret of God. 1 Corinthians 2:7 says but we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God has decreed before the ages for our glorification. We glorify God with divine understanding of issues and thereby are able to resolve conflict. We cannot be effective in conflict resolution or avoidance without prayerfully understanding and appreciating the issues in controversy. We do disservice to God if we wade into conflict resolution without divine understanding of issues.
Be ready to settle
This refers to our readiness to achieve peace to the glory of God through Jesus Christ our blessed Lord. Jesus said in Mark 9:50 that be at peace with one another. We must be ready to forgive and to support each other, Colossians 3:13. Jesus said in Matthew 18:22 that we must forgive seventy times seven. Readiness to settle calls for a clean heart. We can only call for God’s intervention with a pure or clean heart, Hebrews 10:22. We must be ready to listen and to dialogue. James 4:8 says we must purify our hearts and must not be men of double mind.
Readiness to settle requires a slow or gentle tongue devoid of anger. James 1:19 says let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger. Our utterances must be acceptable and appropriate. James 3:5-8 say the tongue is a fire and is an unrighteous world among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the cycle of nature, and set on fire by hell and that no human can tame the tongue, a restless evil, full of deadly poison. The tongue shows our temperament and if unbridled will worsen an already volatile situation. Our language, choice of words, or tone are relevant before Christ.
Sometimes our readiness is also defeated by anxiety when we habour pride or envisage a rejection from the other side. We must have a prayerful attitude also. Philippians 4:6-7 say have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God. What are our anxious moments in conflict? Anxiety sets in when we unwittingly relegate Jesus Christ as the pivot of peace and hope or when we feel inadequate. Jesus is however always adequate and ready to lead us through conflict. Let us go back to Christ Jesus for an answer.
Have a Christ-like attitude
We need the attitude of Christ in every conflict or dispute situation because it is a spiritual battle. In order to have a Christ-like attitude, we must have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:16 says that we have the mind of Christ. It means we must be led by the Holy Spirit in our thoughts and conscience. We need spiritual gifts of discernment, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, truth, humility and boldness.
Paul has summarized the entire attitude of Christ Jesus in Philippians 4:8 that finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Do we have the mind of Christ in order to resolve or avoid conflicts? The Holy Spirit can aid us in Christ Jesus. We are all God’ children and we must be one as Christ was with the Father and wished for us. Jesus epitomizes peace so our focus must be towards peace and unity because of Christ Jesus.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, please prepare us to be worthy channels for settling conflicts and disputes. Heal the divisions among your children and for whatever cause they may be. Restore us as one family. We trust in your grace to see us through because of your precious blood. Thank you for answered prayers, Amen!!
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