Matthew 5:25-26
“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."
There is something quite proverbial about this teaching: don't let conflicts escalate! Like yesterday's teaching, it shows 1) our tendency to put off hard conversations and 2) the urgency/importance of having these hard conversations.
ReplyDeleteLord, reveal in my heart the conversations I am avoiding, and then give me the courage to seek reconciliation in them!
We love second-chances (and third, fourth). Politicians, celebrities, actors, etc. can make egregious mistakes but with the proper demonstration of remorse and a good PR agent, it's only a matter of time before our culture embraces them again. It's not just the celebrities; most of us feel entitled to second-chances as well. I'm no exception. I love that the gospel is a gospel of second-chances.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this passage reminds me that (almost paradoxically) that there is a time when it really is too late. I tend to avoid this truth and would rather emphasize the open-ended nature of God's grace. But avoiding it doesn't make it any less truthful. There is such a thing as "too-late" (c.f. Esau in Hebrews); there are decisions we make that's irreversible.
Opportunity for reconciliation isn't open-ended forever. Lord, grant me the wisdom to do what is right at the right time.