Bible Text: 2 Corinthians 5:20 | Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20
The ancient Vikings built ships that were renowned for their strength and ability to withstand the storm of cold northern seas. The planks which went into the keel were important, but most important of all was the mainmast, for it was the strength of this that meant surviving the storm or being lost at sea. George Sanchez explains the secret of their unusual strength, saying, “They had learned it wasn’t good enough to simply find any tree of the right height and circumference [for a mast]. Instead, they searched for trees with the correct dimensions that had grown on sites exposed to the storms blowing in from the open sea. Because the trees from exposed areas had withstood the buffeting of rough weather over the years, they were stronger and more flexible than trees from sheltered sites.”
More than a few times, I’ve sought to moderate arguments between individuals, often husbands and wives, and what I heard was a recital of petty issues, minor irritations, and ongoing arguments. In some cases the two parties involved were able to mature enough that they learned there are better ways to solve problems than yelling and screaming at each other. But in other cases, the two parted ways and became bitter enemies.
Did you notice that the ancient Vikings found that the masts with the greatest strength were the ones that had weathered the storms? The fact of the matter is that conflict is part of life. It is the result of two individuals, both of whom have wills of their own, and no matter how much you love someone, or how strongly you are committed to that person or to a marriage, sooner or later, conflict is going to come.
It’s what you do with conflict that determines whether or not your relationship weathers the storm. I’m thinking of a situation that involved a couple whose marriage was threatened by an act of infidelity on the husband’s part. Yes, the wife was shocked. Yes, the husband confessed and seemed to be genuinely sorry for what he did. Yes, he promised never to repeat his transgression. But, then, doesn’t everyone promise that the misdeed will never happen again? How could she be sure?
“Get rid of the bum,” was the advice of her friends. That’s when the woman who was struggling with the issue of what to do, went to an older, trusted friend. “Margaret, what should I do?” she asked after she had explained the situation as carefully as she could.
Looking back over her 80 plus years and thinking of the people she had known who had taken the fork in the road under similar circumstances, Margaret said, “If I were you, I would forgive him and strive to rebuild that relationship.” Reconciliation is tough. Pointing the finger, exposing someone publicly, walking away from a bad situation may make you feel better, but there are long term implications.
Four little girls were in the home that I just described, and true to his word, that husband honored his commitment, and the storm was weathered. What happened? The marriage survived, and eventually, the four daughters saw their dad walk them down the aisle when they married. None of them ever knew the severity of the storm that threatened their mom and dad.
Reconciliation has nothing to do with who is right or who is wrong, but it has everything to do with a relationship. Blinded by the hurt and pain of betrayal, we seldom think of the long-term consequences of walking away from relationships. Should you ever have an opportunity to visit Denmark or Norway and see some of those old Viking ships, remember the strength of the main mast was derived from weathering the storms, and because it was strong it brought its cargo and passengers through the storm unscathed.
Resource reading: 2 Corinthians 5
