How Do You Handle Conflict?

There was plenty of conflict amongst Jesus’s friend group. In fact, each Sunday we stand up and say “On the night he was betrayed, Jesus took bread…” (1 Corinthians 11:23). Betrayal is just one type of conflict, but no matter who you are in relationship with, there will be some form of conflict.

Different cultures have different approaches to conflict in relationships. Look over these reflections by some great authors about how conflict can be handled and think about your own life. In your culture at large and then in your family culture, did you tend more towards silence (sweeping things under the rug, avoidance or shaming people for bringing things up) or violence (getting visibly/audibly upset, yelling, blaming, or even physical violence)? Ask Jesus to help you this week on the journey towards having healthier conflict.

Human connection is as threatened by unhealthy peace as it is by unhealthy conflict. - Priya Parker
For me, confrontation has always been equated with intimacy. These lessons pump through my veins as powerfully as a cafecito at three in the afternoon. It wasn’t until I left my context, my culture, that I realized how rare it is to value confrontation and truth telling, and what lengths many people will go to in order to silence the prophets in our midst. - Kat Armas, Abuelita Faith