In Marital Conflicts, Grace-Filled Responses Pour Water on a Fire Rather Than Gasoline
A carnal Christian takes what could remain a small matter and makes it larger.
By Dr. Paul Chappell
Perhaps no area of our lives reveals our walk with the Lord like relational conflict. It is in these moments that our raw responses reveal the true depth of our development in Christlikeness. A spiritual Christian will take what seems like a large matter and make it smaller by responding properly. A carnal Christian takes what could remain a small matter and makes it larger.
Another way to think of this is to pretend that everywhere you go you carry with you two buckets—one filled with gasoline and the other filled with water. The instances of conflict in your relationship are fires. Some are small fires, just a little spark. Some are large fires, threatening to destroy the relationship.
Even a small fire will become large when gasoline is poured on it. And even a large fire can be put out when water is poured on it. Ineffective responses are like gasoline, while spiritual, grace-filled responses are like water.
(This post originally appeared on christianpost.com | Image from christianpost.com)
