Conflict and anger

• Slow down

  • Proverbs 12:16; 14:17, 29; 16:32; 19:11; 25:28

  • Anger can be controlled! Ephesians 4:26-27

  • Adrenaline is often not helpful when dealing with a conflict. We have to deliberately slow ourselves down and avoid sinning in our anger.

• Love others (even enemies)

  • Proverbs 10:12; 24:17-18; 25:21-22

  • Romans 12:17-21

  • Love is not just accepting others’ actions regardless of whether they are sinful or not. Luke 17:3-4; I Corinthians 13:5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 4:32

• Seek peace with others

  • Proverbs 15:18; 16:7; 17:14; 18:19; 20:3; 25:8-10; 26:17; 29:8-9

  • Sometimes Christians may get the wrong idea that more conflict means that they are serving God better. There will be conflict with people of the world as we serve God, but that does not mean that conflict itself is a good thing. II Timothy 3:12; Galatians 2:11

  • We have to make peace where we can without compromising God’s word. I Kings 17:17-18; Ezekiel 3:3-11; Acts 15:1-2

• Be careful of association with others

  • Proverbs 19:19; 21:9; 25:24; 22:10, 24-25; 26:20-21; 27:3, 15-16; 29:22

  • The world is full of people that are cantankerous and like to stir up trouble. God’s people have better things to do than to get dragged into the mud.

  • There are several proverbs about a “contentious woman,” but men can be contentious, too! I Samuel 25:2-3, 10-11, 17, 25