Heavenly Relationships Start On Earth

Do dedicated followers of God let themselves be taken advantage of by wayward Christians? In other words, must followers of God automatically capitulate and do nothing when confronted with conflict? Is this what having a "godly perspective" means? Of course not. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul's clear instruction to contentious believers is to not sue a fellow believer. Such instruction, however, does not preclude seeking other remedies. Paul did not require the Corinthian believers - nor he does require us - to passively accept a wrong. And that wrong could be anything from a personal affront to a situation where secular litigation could be sought.

What if we were just blobs of consciousness floating about in the vastness of empty space? Lonely, dark, cold. No one to talk to, no one with whom to share our thoughts or feeling. Eons of time passing with no end in sight. No hope. No purpose. No one else near. God has not made us that way. Mercifully, he made us for a reason. To have relationships! Both with himself and with each other. He have us hearts so we could share our feelings, hopes, and desires. He gave us minds so we could share our ponderings. He gave us bodies to share the strength, softness, and warmth of each other. He gave us the playground of the universe to explore together. Consequently, it behooves us, as they say, to appreciate these gills. We have each other, and we have something to do together!


"The persuasive articulation of such a process in this book could only have come from the experience of a battle-hardened attorney who has seen the effect of unresolved conflict in the lives of individual believers and congregations."

"Shifts our attention from winning the conflict to winning back the relationship ... and from the here and now to eternity."