2026-11-27
Good morning, Dear Ones,
Last week, the Holy Spirit commanded me to write about managing feelings when in conflict. This week, He directs me to write about when reconciliation is the goal in a conflict. As believers we must understand the will of God. RO 12: 16-18 makes it very clear. “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” In no way means that one should allow himself to be defeated because he was too timid to deal with the true issues at hand. A way to do this is to have respect for the opponent’s position. Attempts at reconciliation, if at all possible, should be attempted after first allowing the emotions of the moment to die down and to pray first for God’s direction.
Consider the difficult position that Esther was in when she tried to solve a serious problem for herself and the Jewish people. She was part of King Xerxes’ (Ahasuerus’) harem. The king didn’t know she was Jewish. Her older cousin, Mordechai, came to Esther to inform her of the dangerous position all the Jews in captivity in Persia faced. This looming danger was due to the edict that the second in charge of the kingdom, Haman, had convinced the king to sign. Haman, a distant relative of Agag, had been raised with the same anti-Semitism that had been in his family since Agag’s time. King Xerxes fell in love with Esther because she was both smart and beautiful. The custom was that if anyone wanted to speak with the king, it must be done when the king indicated it was okay with his scepter. Mordechai, who was aware of Haman’s edict, urged Esther to be courageous enough to let the king know of her ethnicity and to urge him to stop the edict from going forth. Wisely, Esther and Mordecai directed the Jews to fast and pray first. Then, it was Esther’s wisdom to invite the king to a banquet she would plan. The banquet was held, and when Esther spoke, she mentioned the edict and had the courage to tell the king she was Jewish. I won’t spoil the details of this wonderful OT book, but I will tell you that her respect for the king’s position and courage at revealing her ethnicity led to undoing what would have been a great injustice. Please read this short but powerful book, Esther.
EPH 4: 32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” There needs to be acceptance of oneself as a sinner. That kind of humility should also apply to an opponent in a conflict. As such, it’s important to avoid holding a grudge or letting too long a time go by before attempting reconciliation. Remind the opponent of the time and experiences you each shared before the conflict if it is appropriate, using it a motivation to be forgiving. 1 PET 4: 8, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” The Lord Jesus tells us to: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven,” [MT 5: 44-45a]. While not emotionally easy to do, it is His wisdom that leads to reconciliation in a conflict. Returning goodness where harm was delivered can be restorative. RO 12: 21, “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.”
We must consider that bitterness allowed to exist can poison a whole community. When two parties refuse to settle a conflict, innocent people associated with them are also hurt. The story of Joseph [GN 37-50] and what his brothers did to him out of their jealousy hurt everyone in Jacob’s family. However, despite Joseph’s being sold to the Egyptians, Joseph forgave them in the end. Joseph never stopped being a faithfully obedient man of God.
PRAYER: Dearest Lord, we are so grateful for the wisdom You share with us, wisdom that if followed can bring shalom (peace). This kind of reconciliation not only brings peace between humans in conflict, but it also brings shalom with our Lord. Court cases can be avoided, innocent bystanders can be protected, and many other troubles arising from grudge holding can be prevented. We must not forget the love that You have demonstrate. RO 5: 8, 10, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us…For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!” We offer this prayer with utmost thanksgiving and praise to You, in Christ’s holy/mighty name. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: I’m directed by the Holy Spirit to write about the peacemaker’s reward next week. In the meanwhile, just as Esther and Joseph reconciled their community and family respectively, we can prevent lasting hurt and fractures of our own by being forgiving and making efforts to reconcile conflicts when still possible. HE 12: 15, “See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” This wisdom from God really can have a truly beneficial effect. Praise and thanksgiving be to Him!
Grace be with You Always,
Lynn, JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2026. All Rights Reserved.
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