To them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. — Galatians 2:5-6
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In conflict, we have choices, don't we?
There is that moment of pause where we have the option to confront or dismiss.
For example, I can recount many moments in "discussions" with my wife when I have a split second to decide whether I confront a particular issue or let it go. The issue is discerning which battle to fight and how vigorously I want to fight it. Have you been here? Maybe you're in the middle of a moment just like this today.
This is the same decision Paul had to make regarding this issue. He had to make a choice. Was he going to dismiss the issue and build stronger alliances and allegiances with the influential leaders in the Jerusalem church and the originating apostles? Or was the matter at hand worth confronting and critical to stand against?
In this case, Paul weighed the options. He weighed the threat's level, the message's value, and the importance of spiritual freedom for believers and decided that it was worth the fight and even his reputation. Therefore, he went all in.
But Paul never perceived the vigor with which he would oppose the false teachers as a move to win an argument for himself. He knew what he believed and understood the Gospel message was justified by Christ and received by faith and not other addition to this Gospel. Yet he was going to fight vigorously for the faith and freedom of others because he understood that one wrong theological move would precipitate another until, one day, the Gospel was no longer the Gospel at all.
In life, we will often face similar dilemmas:
Ethical Dilemmas: Do we confront an ethical issue or overlook it?
Conflict Dilemmas: Do we address the deeper issues or let them go?
Injustice Dilemmas: Do we speak up to protect the rights of another, or do we take a pass?
Authority Dilemmas: Do we challenge the actions of authorities whose policies and procedures conflict with our own?
It's tough to know what to do sometimes, but if you have assessed the threat, the value of the message, prioritized freedom, and are willing to risk your reputation, then it's much easier to know when it's time to take a stand.
#ConflictResolution #StandFirm #CourageousChoices #FaithfulDecisions #EthicalDilemmas
ASK THIS:
Reflecting on your own experiences, recall a time when you had to decide whether to confront a difficult situation or let it go. How did you approach that decision, and what were the outcomes?
Consider a current conflict or ethical dilemma you're facing. How can the principles discussed in this devotional guide your decision-making process? What steps can you take to ensure that your response aligns with your values and priorities?
DO THIS: Assess, value, prioritize, and risk it.
PRAY THIS: God, grant me the wisdom to discern when to stand firm in confronting conflicts and when to extend grace in letting them go, all while prioritizing the values of truth, justice, and love in my actions. Amen.
PLAY THIS: I Will Trust You.
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