[Wisdom of Solomon] Mad at YouSample

Respond; Don’t React

Have you ever been in conflict with someone before? We often get into a fight with someone over little things. Maybe you don’t like how they chew, breathe, leave towels on the floor, or don’t pick up after themselves. For others, it could be because they said hurtful things, took advantage of you, or were plain mean. Regardless of where we may have conflict or what started it, the Bible can help us understand why we get into conflict, what to do with it, and how to ultimately and hopefully come to a place of reconciliation with others.

Now, you may wonder what a book about love has to do with conflict, but as you and everyone know, there is always conflict in relationships. The book Song of Songs is about love, but it has one chapter on intimacy and two on conflict. You might think, "I don’t need to hear about conflict in relationships. I am single." Don’t stop reading. Everyone will experience some conflict in their lives. It may not be right now, but sometime in the future, it will come. The hope is that you learn that conflict doesn’t have to ruin a relationship but can help make it grow deeper, as long as both sides fight fair. The book of James talks about how we fight with one another because our passions are at war within us. We want certain things a certain way, and when we don’t get our way, it leads to conflict within us and with those around us. Isn’t this why we get into so many fights? The real reason why we are continuously frustrated?

Here in the story of Solomon and his wife, we can see that though conflict arose in what’s supposed to be a godly marriage, Solomon and his wife dealt with it well. They responded to each situation in a way that built up their marriage. They didn’t respond in a worldly way, but a godly one. This is not something far-fetched or impossible to attain. When we understand that we have been reconciled with Christ to God, we can, through His grace, be reconciled to one another. We don’t have to be frustrated all the time, lose our temper, or say hurtful things. By God’s grace, we may avoid conflict altogether.