[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":91},["ShallowReactive",2],{"\u002Farticles\u002Fgo-and-show-then-let-it-go":3,"\u002Farticles\u002Fgo-and-show-then-let-it-go-surround":80},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"bibleBooks":8,"body":13,"columnName":63,"date":64,"description":19,"extension":65,"image":66,"meta":67,"minRead":68,"navigation":69,"path":70,"postType":71,"publication":72,"publicationUrl":66,"seo":73,"stem":74,"topics":75,"__hash__":79},"blog\u002Farticles\u002Fgo-and-show-then-let-it-go.md","Go and Show, Then Let It Go",{"name":7},"Dave Faust",[9,10,11,12],"Matthew","Luke","Acts","Colossians",{"type":14,"value":15,"toc":59},"minimark",[16,20,23,26,29,32,35,50,56],[17,18,19],"p",{},"Conflict happens on the global level when there's war in Iraq and tension in North Korea.",[17,21,22],{},"It happens on the political level when Democrats and Republicans engage in heated debate.",[17,24,25],{},"For some veteran church-goers, the words \"congregational meeting\" or \"board meeting\" make the hair stand up on the back of their necks, because conflict happens there too.",[17,27,28],{},"Conflict happens in athletics. LSU beat Miami 40 to 3 in the 2005 Peach Bowl. When the game was over an LSU receiver playfully took one of Miami's game balls away from a friend he knew on the losing team. It was an innocent prank, but when other players saw the LSU player running with a Miami football, they didn't realize he was joking around. A big fight broke out, all because of a misunderstanding.",[17,30,31],{},"Conflict happens in families. Ever have trouble getting along with your brothers or sisters? Sibling rivalry goes all the way back to Cain and Abel, Jacob and Esau. If you marry, you will experience conflict with your spouse. And don't be shocked when conflicts arise with your teammates in serving the Lord. Even Paul and Barnabas had such a sharp disagreement that they decided to part company.",[17,33,34],{},"Let's face it: conflict is normal—even unavoidable. Some of us handle conflict like a turtle. At the first sign of trouble, it tucks its head inside a shell and tries to hide. Others handle conflict like a skunk that creates a stink so everyone will know it's upset. Do you try to avoid conflict? Do you stuff your anger inside and let it smolder? Are you tempted to bale out of your marriage, leave the church, and avoid the person who hurt you? Or do you attack? Does conflict make you want to fight somebody? Sue somebody? Hurt somebody and make him pay?",[17,36,37,38,42,43,46,47,49],{},"Jesus taught a different approach: ",[39,40,41],"em",{},"Go and show",", then ",[39,44,45],{},"let it go",". He said, \"If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over\" (Matthew 18:15). The Lord went on to prescribe additional steps to take if the other person doesn't listen. But the majority of inter-personal conflicts could be resolved at this basic level if we would simply find the courage to talk with each other honestly one-on-one. ",[39,48,41],{},".",[17,51,52,53,55],{},"Then once every effort has been made to resolve a conflict, the time comes to ",[39,54,45],{},". God can give us strength to forgive even the most painful offenses. At the crucifixion Jesus prayed, \"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing\" (Luke 23:34), and while being stoned to death Stephen prayed, \"Lord, do not hold this sin against them\" (Acts 7:60). Forgiveness applies in all our day-to-day circumstances, for the Bible says, \"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you\" (Colossians 3:13).",[17,57,58],{},"Reconciliation is hard work. It's an uncomfortable, messy business we usually would rather avoid. But Jesus said, \"Blessed are the peacemakers\" (Matthew 5:9), so let's not ignore the relationships he wants us to repair—or miss the blessings he wants us to receive.",{"title":60,"searchDepth":61,"depth":61,"links":62},"",2,[],"First Look","2006-07-30","md",null,{},3,true,"\u002Farticles\u002Fgo-and-show-then-let-it-go","column","The Lookout",{"title":5,"description":19},"articles\u002Fgo-and-show-then-let-it-go",[76,77,78],"Biblical Theology","Church Leadership","Christian Unity","3H_HS4K-yA633Ai52kgvgZ3eLiu6ryEaaH7xMgjMxYM",[81,86],{"title":82,"path":83,"stem":84,"description":85,"children":-1},"Glimpses of Glory","\u002Farticles\u002Fglimpses-of-glory","articles\u002Fglimpses-of-glory","At breakfast with a couple of men the other day, we laughed about dumb things we have said over the years. The conversation led us to observe that Jesus’ original disciples occasionally said some dumb things, too. It’s not hard to list several ill-advised comments they made to the Lord.",{"title":87,"path":88,"stem":89,"description":90,"children":-1},"God Comes First","\u002Farticles\u002Fgod-comes-first","articles\u002Fgod-comes-first","Nothing tests a person’s priorities more than an empty stomach.",1790466152160]