Saturday, March 26, 2005
The Great Intervener
If there is one thing that most of us have a problem dealing with, its conflict. I am not sure I know too many people that 1)like it at all and 2) are very good at dealing with it. Seems that most of us would rather run from conflict than face it head on. The ironic thing to me is that our lives are filled with some type of conflict or another. Yet we spend most of our time trying to act like it doesn't exist (or gloss over it). For example, when I was in High School we had arch rivals. The Gladewater High School Bears...we hated them. Our whole football, basketball, baseball, chess seasons were never a success unless we soundly defeated them. That's a conflict that we had that was very much in our face most of the year. However, the subliminal conflict that exists between teachers and parents is hardly ever acknowledged. And what about conflict that exists between certain family members. These situations can go years without acknowledgement. Why is that? What is so difficult about conflict? Well, I guess you could say that it is just too darn upsetting to deal with. You could say that its better to ignore it and hope it goes away. You could say that the only way to deal with it is to face it head on. No matter what you say, it is obvious that it is here and here to stay.
During this time of year, we as followers of the "Way" look toward one event in world history that stands out as a large part of our belief system--Easter. No not the hunt for eggs, eat marshmellow chicks and take pictures with a bunny holiday. I am speaking about the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Yes I said RESURRECTION. For all those keeping score at home, that means that someone is dead then comes back to life. In this case, Jesus was tortured, beaten, killed and buried. He was placed in a tomb (a cave made of stone) with a large stone rolled in front of it. 3 days after he is placed there when some of his followers came to better prepare the body for burial, they open the tomb only to see that he is not there. But where is he? Where did he go? They find him later and he appears to his followers, hangs out for 40 days then departs to heaven in plain daylight. Now what in the world does this story have to do with conflict???
Well, instead of avoiding conflict, God chose to deal with it directly. He chose to send his son to earth, live here among us, teach us about Him, and (most importantly) teach us to deal with conflict. He is our example of the ultimate intervener. God could have snapped his fingers and had us all fall in line, but that isn't real love now is it. Christ interevened into this world, turned it upside down and offered each of us a chance to live a life beyond our wildest dreams. When Jesus was faced with conflict of any type, he 1)never avoided it and 2) showed both love and respect for those that had conflict with him (even when those that created the conflict were not so respectful to him). Wow, now I am rambling; let me sum up.
Jesus Christ, by intervening in our world, brought with Him love, compassion and a chance at a rare life. A life that enters into conflict and comes out the other side stronger and more faithful. For sure conflict will forever be part of our life here, but you can be sure that a life of following our great Intervener will offer us a way to deal with conflict more positively and effectively than with out him. Oh, but you have to give him all of your life. Oh, and you have to admit that you are not perfect and you can not live your life with out him. And you have to ask him to forgive you and then make him the Leader of your life...i guess that may cause a little conflict for some.
During this time of year, we as followers of the "Way" look toward one event in world history that stands out as a large part of our belief system--Easter. No not the hunt for eggs, eat marshmellow chicks and take pictures with a bunny holiday. I am speaking about the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Yes I said RESURRECTION. For all those keeping score at home, that means that someone is dead then comes back to life. In this case, Jesus was tortured, beaten, killed and buried. He was placed in a tomb (a cave made of stone) with a large stone rolled in front of it. 3 days after he is placed there when some of his followers came to better prepare the body for burial, they open the tomb only to see that he is not there. But where is he? Where did he go? They find him later and he appears to his followers, hangs out for 40 days then departs to heaven in plain daylight. Now what in the world does this story have to do with conflict???
Well, instead of avoiding conflict, God chose to deal with it directly. He chose to send his son to earth, live here among us, teach us about Him, and (most importantly) teach us to deal with conflict. He is our example of the ultimate intervener. God could have snapped his fingers and had us all fall in line, but that isn't real love now is it. Christ interevened into this world, turned it upside down and offered each of us a chance to live a life beyond our wildest dreams. When Jesus was faced with conflict of any type, he 1)never avoided it and 2) showed both love and respect for those that had conflict with him (even when those that created the conflict were not so respectful to him). Wow, now I am rambling; let me sum up.
Jesus Christ, by intervening in our world, brought with Him love, compassion and a chance at a rare life. A life that enters into conflict and comes out the other side stronger and more faithful. For sure conflict will forever be part of our life here, but you can be sure that a life of following our great Intervener will offer us a way to deal with conflict more positively and effectively than with out him. Oh, but you have to give him all of your life. Oh, and you have to admit that you are not perfect and you can not live your life with out him. And you have to ask him to forgive you and then make him the Leader of your life...i guess that may cause a little conflict for some.
