“Leave your sacrifice…go and be reconciled”

Matthew 5:24 NLT

“Leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person.  Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.”

It is inevitable that we, as humans, will offend someone or be offended by someone.  These conflicts also do not exclude those who work in ministry.

There was a time when a coworker was offended by something that she thought I said about her.  I knew something was wrong because she was avoiding any personable encounters with me.  I considered addressing it but I feared that I would not be able to come to an acceptable solution to the problem.  Many times in her presence, I felt uneasy and saddened.  I resolved that in order to invite peace and harmony back into our relationship, we would have to have a talk.  Finally, we both agreed it was time.  I prayed that God would bless this conversation and bring clarity and resolution to the issue.  As we conversed, we realized that there was a misunderstanding that led to all of this.  As our conversation came to a close, it was revealed to us that the enemy had been the one at work, and he was trying to bring division and distraction to the office. 

At the end, we both were happy that we were courageous and wise enough to talk about it and found the real culprit.  Satan!

Use this as an example in your life to leave your gift at the altar and go be reconciled to your brother or sister. It’s worth it, and the burden will be released as a result.

For help with hard conversation after an offense, pick up a copy of Crucial Conversations. It’s one of my favorite books especially recommended to leaders.

Prayer:  Lord, help us not to wait so long to go to a person after an offense.  Give us the courage to ask and make things right before the enemy has his way in our relationships.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.