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Bible Reading Plan

Reading Plan: Colossians 3:12-17

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

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Daily Devotional: I’m Mad.

If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 

Matthew 18:15-17

Slamming doors, slamming cabinets, and running away in my car have been the loud ways I’ve tried to get my point across in my almost fifty years of married life. If you think that I have an anger management problem, you’d be right. It has been a blind spot, a secret known only to my parents, my husband, my kids, and now you. 

I’ve kept ‘it’ in check outside my home for the most part.

Oh, and of course, God knew too. He started teaching me what to do about it when I was teaching seventh graders. He told me to teach this principle to them and then to myself: Go to the person you are upset with, calmly use “I feel statements” instead of body language or intimidation tactics to work it out.

It’s amazing how the Bible has been so instructive in my teaching life and in my adulting. In today’s passage, it lays out how we should approach anger with our loved ones and conflict in the church. It’s very similar to what I taught my students, adding two steps if the anger is not resolved: Ask a trusted person to also meet with you and your friend, and if that doesn’t work out well, bring it to the leaders in the church. 

Why do we need to try to resolve conflict? For one thing, burying conflict is never healthy. I think we can agree that anxiety breeds a host of complicated symptoms in our own bodies and the body of believers. 

The New Testament has many other ways to find peace when we are experiencing conflict. My favorite is that we are repeatedly told to love one another and value others above our own interests. When a situation has developed, we must choose to listen to one another. When we listen to each other, we need to have humility in the process. This is often my problem, and I have learned that I need to slow the process down and go to God first to explain how I am feeling when my anger is stirred.

Peace with God and others is vitally essential in our Christian walk. It takes work and intention, but it is attainable. 

Next Steps

Dear Lord, I don’t want to slam doors anymore. Help me reconcile with my sister or brother when I feel wounded or angry. I ask these things in your name. Amen— a song about peace.