fight, and clear the air

Friday August 23^rd, Luke 12: 51 Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division. 52 From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. 53 They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."  Intense passion of belief will bring about conflict, and it will tend to bring about divisions.  If left unattended, the division will only fester.  We are not called to lesson our passion for our beliefs, but we are also called to love one another, including those who think we are idiots because of our beliefs.  When I do premarital counseling I encourage couples to fight (I also emphasize that it is verbal sparring, not physical sparring).  My one rule is that they put more energy into making up than they did into the fight.  These passionate exchanges not only help clarify our beliefs, but often times come up with the most creative solutions.  This only works when there is an assurance that the foundation of love is stronger than any conflict.