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Several years ago, I attended a presentation where the speaker gave an illustration I have repeated many times. She asked us to envision a rowboat holding two people in Ron Price the middle of a lake. Suddenly, a leak appeared in the very front.

The person in the front saw the problem and quickly started baling like crazy. The other person saw the problem but folded his arms and said, “I’m glad that hole isn’t on my side of the boat.” What a great illustration to bear out that we are all in this marvelous adventure of life together – we are all in the same boat.

As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, this must be our mindset. We read of Jesus’ prayer found in John 17:20, 21 NLT: “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” To be a true Christian, we must be concerned about the welfare of others and strive for unity (not to be confused with uniformity, which is a separate subject altogether).

If you disagree, please check out Phil 2:1-5, Col 3: 13-15, Eph 4:2, and so many more I could cite. There are numerous “one anothers” in the Bible, in which God tells us clearly that He cares deeply about how His children treat each other or how we relate with one another.

A verse that has recently become very important to me is Rom 12:18, where we read that as far as possible, or as far as it depends on us; some versions read, we are to get along or live in peace with others. Like me, you may have realized that that guidance is sometimes easier said than done. I believe it is impossible in our own strength and ability.

Fortunately, anything God asks us to do, He also provides the way for its accomplishment. We just have to cooperate with Him and do life and relationships His way. Gary Thomas wrote Sacred Marriage, which I often describe as the greatest book I’ve ever read. I bought it because I was intrigued by the subtitle: “What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?” It’s an interesting concept, don’t you think? What if God designed marriage and family to be a living laboratory where we could practice Christ-like selflessness, service, and humility? I also believe the same could be said for the church, the workplace, or any other place we fallible human beings must learn to interact with others.

Though all too common today, conflicts in families and churches are certainly not new. The very first family had a serious conflict, resulting in one member killing another. The first Christian church had issues, even to the point of Paul and Barnabas, that great evangelistic team, splitting over a disagreement they could not resolve.

For the past 30+ years, I have helped people to prevent conflict when possible and to resolve it when necessary. It’s not always easy to do either, but with a few basic tools, tips, and techniques, it becomes easier than you might think. On that note, I’m thrilled that God (with the assistance of Tom Mejeur) has opened doors for me to bring His message of Relationship CPR to churches, businesses, and organizations all over the great state of Michigan. Most people say they dread conflict but have never been trained or equipped to manage conflict productively. By God’s Grace, I’m out to change that.

Let me just say that relationships are God’s idea for our ultimate happiness. That being the case, it should not surprise you that the enemy will do all he can to destroy relationships and thereby lessen our joy and peace. Please remember the wisdom found in Eph 6:10 12: “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood
enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”