Constructive Conflict

Constructive Conflicts

In order to solve a conflict, sometimes we must be willing to enter conflict. That is the encouragement of Matthew 18:15-20. When someone in a setting, be it work, family or church hurts you, you can’t always just be the door mat who gets walked all over. There is a time when constructive conflict is encouraged. Constructive conflict seeks to build rather than destroy, reconcile rather than divide. It is short term engagement for long term peace. Constructive conflict is an adaptable and flexible three-step process: go alone, go with witnesses, go to authorities. Some people go to the human resources department over every small trivial infraction. That only creates a work atmosphere akin to that under the Stasi in Communist East Germany. Most conflicts can be solved quickly one on one. We seldom need to take it further.