I hate confrontation, but my dislike does not stop them from taking place. Some confrontations are like torpedoes out of nowhere. Others can be king standing boiling points. While working at school, both types happened frequently. Each episode seemed to require unique peace making skills. Certainly the key skill is remaining calm, which can be very difficult. Nicky includes great insight:
Don’t run away. Don’t be overwhelmed. Rather do what you can. You can make a difference. As St Paul writes, ‘Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’ (Romans 12:21).
I’ve found that asking open ended questions to get the person to talk more allows their emotional explosion to calm down. Jesus often asked questions to get the person to go deeper, to reflect on the meaning of what was happening in their heart. Jesus was and is the master of diffusing trouble - the Prince of Peace.
Lord, give me the wisdom to know when it is important to meet, to confront and to hear explanations. Help us to avoid unnecessary divisions and disunity. Help me to learn the skills of loving confrontation.
No comments:
Post a Comment