Monday, 12th Week of Ordinary Time

Morning Prayer
Acts 15:36-16:5

“Tempers flared, and they ended up going their separate ways” (15:39)

The above is from Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of the Bible, The Message. That actually communicates better the original Greek word used here, from which we get "paroxysm." This wasn’t just a disagreement. It was a shouting, heaving argument. I don’t know whether to find consolation in the fact that even the first Christians had these arguments, or to mourn that even they were not immune to such unchristian behavior.

We at Christ Church certainly have not been immune to such flaring of tempers, and separate ways. Nobody likes conflict. And yet conflict is inevitable, in the Church, and outside the Church. So, the first step in dealing with conflict, I believe, is not to fear it. That which we fear we avoid. But avoidance simply represses the conflict, and gives the accumulating steam no place to go until it finally explodes. Conflict is one of those areas where I truly believe that the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, will guide us through to resolution if we just trust in it.

But what about the time when the conflict results in flared tempers and separate ways? What good is the Church then? What sort of witness can we offer a broken world when our own behavior simply mirrors that brokenness? Look again at Paul and Barnabas. They each went their own ways. Instead of one mission trip, there were now two. John Mark would be given a chance to prove himself. Paul would discover a new helper in Timothy. And if you come back tomorrow, you’ll see how God used this argument and separation to still increase his kingdom of peace, love and unity.

Christians are as human as anybody else, just as much in need of grace as every other sinner. The difference, hopefully, is that we are always humbly open to God’s grace and power to make good what we screw up.