Chaplin's Corner - September 2025
Conflict? – Be Encouraged
We often experience hits in our walk in life. At times, it seems like the more we try to do what’s right, the more we’re bombarded by difficulties and temptations to stray and go our own way.
More times than not, when we venture and go our own way, we tend to go farther than we ever intended to go.
Have you ever heard the grass is greener on the other side? For the most part, that statement isn’t true. Think of Lot in the Bible.
Genesis 13 tells of a conflict that arose between Abraham and his nephew, Lot. They were in the cattle business together. They both were so blessed with cattle, but they had a problem with the two herds and their herdsman. So they divided the land and parted ways.
Abraham gave Lot first choice. If Lot choose the land to the left, then Abraham would take the land on the right. If Lot chose the land to the right, Abraham would go left.
Lot chose the land that was well watered and looked a lot like a garden of the Lord, the Bible tells us. There was only one problem. He set up camp near Sodom. The green grass had its lure, but it wasn’t greener. It turned out to be the worst decision of Lot’s life.
Whenever conflict raises its ugly head, don’t lash out in despair and say something you really don’t mean. When we experience an offense or conflict, we need to step back, take a deep breath, and cool off before responding irrationally.
Silence is golden when you’ve been offended. We tend to lash out and say things we don’t really intend to say.
It’s very important to stay in God’s word and allow our spirit to be built up, so when the temptation arises to lash out, we’ll think twice.
Abraham could have allowed the conflict between his herdsman and Lot’s herdsman to come between them. He could have allowed the disagreement to escalate to an all-out family feud.
But instead, he became the peacemaker. Abraham gave Lot the choice of land – a very humble and generous way to handle the conflict. Abraham took the high road and made the best of it.
When conflict raises its ugly head, take the high road, be encouraged, and listen to the spirit within.
James 1:19-20 – Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. 20For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.