17 of 31 Days of Five Minute of Free Writes: AVOID

I used to avoid confrontation and conflict. You see, I am a recovering people pleaser.  I hated the thought of anyone disliking me or thinking I disliked them.  I wanted to be known as a loving person, and this sometimes me at being a pushover. What I have learned through the years, is that sometimes avoiding conflict or confrontation is the most unloving thing we can do- for ourselves and for others. Initially facing conflict and confrontation might be unpleasant. In the long term, it can be beneficial.

I cannot go through the process of how to approach conflict and confrontation in a healthy way because I only have five minutes. I will end what Jesus told his disciples:

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:15-17).

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