Like many of you, I don’t like conflict. I prefer to look at the positive side, give the benefit of the doubt, and believe the best in the situation. In many scenarios, I have found this pause to be effective. It allows tempers to cool, logic to resurface, and apologies to be made. I recently enjoyed lunch with a dear friend who shared a story from years ago. As I sat and listened, I realized the conflict she was describing had been paused, but never addressed and healed, so years later, those hurt feelings linger, as she voiced that an apology might never come.

The contentious situation arose during the COVID-19 epidemic. Two families were wanting to do the right thing. One trusted health care messaging. The other trusted what was best for the health and well-being of their family. Disagreement ensued indirectly through disappointed texts and silence. Unavailability or lack of desire to meet, even at six-feet distances, allowed a split to occur, thus creating an opening for hurt feelings, gossip …and for Satan to enter further. As days of sheltering-in-place turned into weeks, negative assumptions as well as feelings of pride, envy, jealousy, distrust and unloving swirled around both families.

If this story doesn’t resonate with you, swap out the topic of the vaccine to a combative conversation that you have been affected by: differing religious beliefs, abortion rights, racial division, or maybe political discussions. My guess is you can quickly recall a controversial conversation that had a similar, unsettling outcome.

How did you recover from it?

Looking back, my friend wishes she could have said, “Let’s agree to disagree” about the vaccine. “Let’s focus on God as our Authority”, instead of the health care leaders, pharmaceutical boards, and State governors, and “Let’s find a way to endure this shutdown supporting each other”. But neither family did.

This is exactly what Satan hopes for. He prowls around looking for the next situation to insert himself into. He has more power when there is animosity between friends, family members, and co-workers. He has more access to disrupt and confuse. We are more apt to listen to his lies if we don’t have true friends stepping in and speaking the truth.

“If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand” (Mark 3:25).

I share my friend’s story because we are a week away from the US presidential election. As I drive four miles to my paddle courts, I see as many signs for, as against each candidate. Often across the street from each other, as if neighbors are standing there, screaming their differing views over each other. Silly as this sounds, it’s stressful seeing all the opposing signs. There are going to be as many pleased as disappointed people next week.

Our President-elect is just one example. Over the past year in the US, we’ve seen sit-ins on college campuses supporting and not supporting Israel. We’ve read differing opinions on funding and defunding police departments. There have been hot topics of reproductive rights, and even a documentary trying to define “What is a Woman?” Not having accurate news to rely on only adds more fodder and confusion to each of these conversations.

We are a split country.
We live in divided neighborhoods.
There is enough fuel to make a roaring fire!

You know what doesn’t burn? Rocks.
Wouldn’t you like to be rock solid in what you stand for? Wouldn’t you like to trust in a higher being than a voted official? Look to the Truth of God’s Word. Situations and tough conversations will happen. Use the Bible as the filter you evaluate topics against. We will be tested and Satan will interfere. We may feel threatened and unpopular. But strife is temporary. God’s Word will last the test of time. Jesus taught the disciples a step-by-step way to reconcile with friends. It is spelled out for us in Matthew 18:15-20:

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”
“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven. Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

When reconciliation is done well, it prevents bad conversations from leading to further hurt, distrust, and division. By relying on God’s Truth, and praying for His shield of protection (Psalm 3:1-3), we can be the Light of Jesus (John 3:19-21), building our life on His firm foundation, spreading God’s hope over our friends, and the country.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock”. (Matthew 7:24-26).

Next week is the presidential election. We are prayerful for whatever the outcome, whoever is elected, our fellow Believers can remind others of another political sign in my neighborhood:
Politicians are Temporary – Jesus is Forever.

Please pray with me:
Lord, we lift up the people of the U.S.A.
We need You to be our firm foundation. A rock that doesn’t change based on the pressures or the change in opinions. We need more people sharing Your Truth. Prompt us to bring love and Light to friends who haven’t met You yet. God, half of the population is going to be angry, fearful, and uncertain next week. Please bring people of peace to embrace them and to ultimately to teach about Your eternal gift.
Thank You for being the Master of the Universe every day. The One we can cry out to and sing gratitude to, especially in a time of division and disruption. Amen