[00:00:08] Well, hey, friends, welcome back to another edition of the weekday podcast. All week long, we've been thinking about conflict, and depending on how you grew up, conflict is either seen as good or bad. But it's inevitable. Conflict is inevitable, but combat is a choice. Now, Matthew, chapter 5. Listen to the words of Jesus in verses 23 and 24. He says, if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and then remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go first, be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. What's interesting is that Jesus doesn't say, hey, if you get around to it, try to make things right with the person. He doesn't say, let it go and move on. He actually makes the boldest statement possible. He says, reconciliation is more urgent than worship.
[00:00:53] Now, obviously, this is a radical concept in Jesus day. To the Jewish listener, the altar was the most sacred place. It was the moment of connection between man and God. And Jesus says, if you're standing in that sacred moment, but you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave the altar, go and reconcile. Reconciliation is not optional for followers of Jesus. It's actually foundational.
[00:01:18] That's how serious Jesus is about restoring relationships. You can't fake spiritual maturity if you're ignoring relational wreckage. For Jesus, relational healing isn't secondary, it's actually central.
[00:01:29] Now, we may be tempted to separate spiritual life from everyday conflict, but Jesus never did that. Worship without reconciliation is like trying to hug God while pushing his kids out of the way. Now, going first, it isn't easy. It feels vulnerable. We fear rejection. Or we're waiting for them to come to their senses first. But the kingdom of God operates differently. We're called to be peacemakers, not peace waiters. Jesus doesn't just encourage reconciliation, he commands it. Why?
[00:01:58] Because broken relationships break our hearts. They clog our spiritual lives, and they divide our communities. And sadly, in churches and friendships and marriages and workplaces, so many stay stuck because both sides are waiting for the other to move first. But that's not how healing works. In your marriage, at work, in your family, what would it look like to go first? Would it be sending a Can we talk? Text to someone you've ghosted? Would it be apologizing first, even if you were only 5% wrong? Would it be opening the door to a conversation that's long overdue? Would it be owning your part without demanding they own theirs? Going first doesn't mean taking all the blame. It just means taking the first step. And here's what you need to know. Going first isn't about fixing everything in a moment. It's about opening the door to what God can do. It's about saying, I value this relationship more than my pride. And that's what Jesus did. He went first. We were still stuck in sin, still unaware. We were still selfish. And he moved towards us. He left heaven. He laid down his rights. He absorbed the cost. Why?
[00:03:03] So that we could be reconciled. We love like Jesus when we move towards people who may not move towards us. Now, if that feels impossible right now, just remember you're not doing it alone. The Holy Spirit gives you strength to timing and the right posture. You don't have to fix them. You don't have to force healing. You just have to be faithful to take the first step. So what about you? What's one relationship in your life that needs a first move? A friend where it got awkward? A co worker where trust was broken? A sibling you haven't called in months? A parent where years of silence have built walls? Maybe this is the day to not wait, to not justify. Do not spiritualize your avoidance. Peace doesn't come from pretending. It comes from pursuing. And peace grow in the soil of courage. So ask the Lord to give you strength, humility and the right words, then go. I think you'll be amazed at what he does on the other side of obedience. You might not see immediate results. You might still face resistance, but you will have honored God. You will have stepped into the way of Jesus, and you will begin to feel the weight of resentment lifted from your soul. So if we want to be the people of peace, if we have to be the people of action, don't just pray for peace, walk towards it. That first step might be the most spiritual thing you do all week. Give it a try and let me know what you find. Drop me a
[email protected] I would love to hear from you. Have a great day. We'll see you back here.
