Luke 12:57-59 “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right? As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison. I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.”

Matthew 5:23-26 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny."

How many times have we been in a conflict where we have had to pay the last penny? How many times have we stood aloof from a particular situation, not willing to make the first move of reconciliation, demanding that the other person make the first move in ameliorating the difficulty. In any disputation or conflict, the most important person in resolving the matter is the one who will say, "I am sorry," first or who will say, "Let's work this out together," or "Let's start over." He or she brings resolution and healing rather than dissension and pain, brings peace rather than hostility. A Christian should always be that person, the person who brings Jesus into the situation.

We humans tend to be a cantankerous, aggressive, self-willed lot. We usually want things done our way. Sometimes we passively seek our way by manipulating others with our words and enticements, other times we aggressively seek our own way by abusing others either with our words or violence, but our aim is the same, getting our way. I know I might be overstating the situation somewhat, but I wonder if we truly recognize or fully understand our nature? History reveals the aggressive nature of humans in general: harsh words, wars, mayhem, and killings. Even within Christians there is plenty of the "old man" embedded in our nature: his self-centeredness, lust, and aggression.

In the above passage, Jesus asks us to go to our adversary, making the first step toward reconciliation. Christ warns us if we play the game of life the way the world does, we might lose everything, for to play that game well we have to be as vicious and self-oriented as those in the world. We have to be the cunning, predatory wolves rather than the innocent, harmless sheep of his pasture who hear and obey his voice. We have to be as those who are buried in sin with no hope of eternity with God, who understand this world offers their only home. Jesus asks us to make peace rather than conflict, to build up rather than to tear down. Of course, in life there are situations where the magistrate must be called in to arbitrate a dispute because the laws of society demand it, but Jesus tells us to be wary of such situations, for we might lose everything, even our testimony for him.

These scriptures are hard to use allegorically, otherwise make them pertain only to our relationship with God. For me, they relate to everyday experiences with our fellowmen. How are we to act as Christians? Where should our hearts be in a dispute? Are we willing to be igniters or peacemakers? Are we willing to let someone else have the advantage or not? These are hard questions to answer in the middle of a heated dispute or conflict, but we must have an answer, especially when our emotions get the best of us, when we feel the most quarrelsome, disruptive, and out of step with the Holy Spirit. We must be willing to back off, giving grace and mercy rather than judgment. God gives grace and mercy freely to us rather than judgment. If we display anger, bitterness, rancor, if we are quarrelsome and critical, we display self, the weaknesses of human nature, but if we exhibit peace, love, concern, healing, patience, and the fullness of Christ's nature, we reveal God to the world, one of our main responsibilities. Jesus says go and be reconciled to your brother, THEN PRESENT YOUR GIFT TO GOD. His desire should be ours: reconciliation with those who are in disputation with us. He desires us to be his children not only in words but in deeds also, bringing the peace of God to every circumstance, allowing him to be Lord of all.