I was sitting two thirds of the way up in the sanctuary. That night the church would gather, and people were on different sides of a situation, which means conflict. I was grateful the issues were not about me. It is always easier to lead a “hot moment” when you are not the reason for the “hot.”
When people arrived it was as I suspected, with fire in their eyes. Two sides of the issue and both sure they were right and the other(s) wrong. One factor that we must never forget is that sometimes even if we are right, how we handle the moment can be wrong. Losing our cool and/or taking the bait (hook) will typically guarantee that in the end we lose even if we were right.
I sat there in prayer to prepare myself for the moment by listening to the Lord. I asked this question, “Who is right?” and He responded. The answer was so powerful it rocked my world and has ever since. It altered my understanding of “differences” and conflict. He brought to my mind the Bible passage of Joshua 5. The people of Israel are heading to war to take the promised land. Joshua sees a man with a drawn sword and asks this question, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”
The answer is surprising, even shocking. Being that the Lord had led the Israelites to this promised land, surely the answer would be that he was for Joshua and those he led. But no! The answer, “Neither.” What? You are not for us when we are doing the Lord’s will?
It seems that in conflict we often can assume and declare that the Lord is on our side and against the “other”. Which side is God on, after all?
That day shifted my thinking of conflict and viewing others as enemies/ opponents. The Lord always stands for righteousness. He is not on our side, He stands for righteousness. We then choose to be for Him or against Him! We choose a side, by submission, by following the scripture, by doing right regardless. We choose. He doesn’t choose a side, for He is right and righteous.
In conflict, care must be taken to keep in our minds that the Lord is not for us and against others. That perspective can easily lead to greater sin and darkness. He stands in righteousness. We choose whether we are on His side or not.
He, let it be said loud and clear, is on neither side of people at odds. He is in the right and is righteous.