When Relationships Go Awry

     When my son was a young teenager, he listened daily to a tape recording on his cassette player. The speaker was a prominent ventriloquist whose words were scripted to encourage positive thinking in children. As our family prepared for the day, we all benefited from the tape recording. I recall one segment that addressed the challenge of getting along with two friends who were at odds with one another. Years later, I have encountered that thorny situation. It’s one that seems to call for the wisdom of Solomon and certainly requires much prayer and patience.

     Bringing two opposing associates to agreement might not happen easily, but perhaps helping them to lay the groundwork to ameliorate their differences can be done.

     Reconciliation doesn’t necessarily mean instant resolution, but it places individuals on friendlier ground while they work out the obstacles to their relationship. This might provide resolution. Time is sometimes needed to resolve misunderstandings as we grow together in attributes of righteousness and grace.

     The scriptures list the tools which lead to relationship reconciliation with God and with our associates:

Galatians 5: 22   But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  23 Meekness, temperance … KJV

2 Peter 1: 5   And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;  6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. KJV

     Let’s work on each attribute, and let’s be friends.