When the Temperature Rises…

Sweat pouring.  Hands burning.  Eyes squinting.  That’s right, you just entered a car in July.  Sometimes dealing with the summer heat can put me on edge.  It makes me think about how we can also find ourselves in intense life situations and be tempted to let the heat of the moment dictate our feelings and actions. 

If I’m smart this summer, I’ll give myself a few extra minutes when I go to my car so I can roll down the windows and let the A/C cool it down before I get in.  Maybe I’ll bring a bottle of cold water with me to counteract the sudden loss of pints of my own sweat.  If I’m smart, I’ll prepare for what I know is coming.  How helpful would it be for us to also prepare for the tense times we know life is going to bring us?  If we have any hope for dealing with conflict and sin and moving toward reconciliation, we have to lay accurate, biblical foundations in our hearts and minds.

Jim Van Yperen (pronounced “I-perin”), in his seminar called “Making Peace,” lays out 5 myths that Christians sometimes believe that hinder our ability to deal with the rising temperatures of life.  Perhaps we can relate to some/all of these myths and discover that God is calling us to a different way of understanding.

MYTH #1.  Conflict hurts, so all conflict is bad.

The Truth is:  Hurt is more often given for our good, than bad.  Proverbs tells us the wounds of a friend are faithful.  There is good hurt.

MYTH #2.  All conflict is from Satan.

The Truth is:  Most conflict is the result of human failure and sin which, when un-reconciled, Satan uses to confound and confuse.

MYTH #3.  All sin is private.

The Truth is:  Sin reveals flawed character, not merely bad decisions.  If the church is a body, then no sin is private – our habits of thinking and acting affect all.

MYTH #4.  Reconciliation = Forgiveness.

The Truth is:  Reconciliation starts with forgiveness but requires restitution. Restitution is necessary for the sinner to re-constitute character and rebuild lost trust.

MYTH #5.  Peace is the absence of conflict.

The Truth is:  Peace is the ability to be reconciled and to be healthy in the midst of conflict.

May the Lord bless and keep,

Michael