This past Sunday we had the honor to witness baptisms. It was incredible to see people make that commitment to the Lord. But baptism also symbolizes the expanding of our spiritual family. 1 Cor 12:13 “For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.”
Romans 8:16 says that we have been adopted into God's family and become God's children. We are family! Ephesians 2:19 says, “So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family.” When we receive God’s gracious gift, we are grafted into the family of God. Family doesn’t just mean we have a Father, but we have brothers and sisters! That’s so exciting. We have others that we can turn to in times of joy and sorrow. However, we also have a responsibility and are instructed to build one another up. In doing so, we are built up too.
This family dynamic also gives us an opportunity to learn how to deal with conflicts. When you were a child in your parents' home, you couldn’t just leave every time you had a conflict with one of your siblings or your parents. You learned how to cope with the situation. That coping could have been a healthy or an unhealthy skill. The good news is that God gives us instructions on how to handle conflicts in a healthy manner. And He gives us opportunities to hone those skills by allowing us to experience conflicts within our church family. Amazingly, He also promises to be right there with us!
In Matthew 18, Jesus is giving instructions on how to deal with our spiritual family. He gives instruction on how to deal with offense in verses 15-20. And he ends with, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." He promised to be with us in our conflicts with one another. When we learn how to lean into the Lord and deal with others in a healthy way, we will grow in our love for Him and one another!
Although learning how to handle conflict isn’t easy, it is necessary for healthy families. We want all of our family at New Day to not just grow but thrive. The next time you have a conflict with your brother or sister at church, don’t run from it. Invite God to lead you to resolve the conflict and trust He will be there with you every step of the way!