Settle It Like Saints
Clearing the fog to see each other in the light of Jesus.
Devotional Credit: Immeasurably More, by Ray Stedman, on 1 Corinthians 6:1-3
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Some hurts land hard. The quiet jab. The invoice never paid. The story told out of turn. Our first impulse can be to run it up the flagpole and force a fix. Ray Stedman brings us back to something far better, something that honors Jesus and actually heals. He reminds us that the family of God is not powerless or naive. The Spirit forms a people who can sort out real life conflicts with humility, wisdom, and love.
Stedman points out Paul’s plain concern in Corinth. Brothers and sisters were airing disputes in secular courts, inviting strangers to judge what the body of Christ is meant to address inside the grace of the gospel. Paul calls that posture foolish, not because civil courts are useless, but because they handle surfaces. The church is called to deal with motives, the heart, the quiet currents that run under our words and deeds.
He also lifts our eyes to our future calling. We will share in Jesus’ judgment over the world and even angels. If that is true, then we are not underqualified for everyday reconciliations. We are being trained now, in ordinary disagreements, to discern with the mind of Christ, to move toward each other rather than away, and to seek restoration over revenge.
Reading him, I am grateful. He helps me remember that our life together is not a club that tries to keep the peace by pretending. It is a Spirit-indwelt community where Jesus expresses His life through us. In that light, our conflicts become classrooms. We learn to yield to the Spirit, to speak truth in love, to forgive as we have been forgiven, and to guard the unity that Jesus purchased for all of us. Thank you, Pastor Stedman, for the gentle, steady reminder.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
I am with you in this, not as an observer, but as the One who lives in you. You have been crucified with Jesus, and the life you now live is My life expressed in you. When a brother wrongs you, do not surrender the moment to pride or panic. Abide in Me. Let My peace govern your heart. I joined you to a people called holy, set apart to display the kindness and patience of the Son.
You are not a debtor to the flesh. You are free to choose love. I have entrusted reconciliation to you as a shared calling in My body, not as a private project for the strongest personality. Move toward one another. Seek understanding. Invite wise and gentle believers to help you discern. I supply the wisdom from above that is pure, peaceable, and open to reason. I train you now for the day when you will assess deeper things with the Lord Jesus. Start here. Start small. Start together.
When you speak, let your words rise from who you are in Me. Put on compassion, humility, and patience. Bear with one another. Forgive, as I in Christ have forgiven you. If the other will not hear, take two or three who walk in My ways. If they still refuse, entrust them to Me and keep your heart soft. As far as it depends on you, live at peace. I am not asking you to pretend that wrong is right. I am forming in you the mind of the Son, who laid down His rights to rescue many.
You do not stand alone. You stand in Me, and you stand with My people. Let the word of the Messiah dwell richly among you. Sing grace over the conversation. Let love, which is the perfect bond, do its quiet work. My power is made visible when you choose the way of the cross, and the life of Jesus is seen when you refuse to trade insult for insult. I will keep you. I will guide you. Yield to Me, and I will express the patience and clarity of Jesus through you.
Real-Life Analogy
Picture a bathroom mirror after a hot shower. The glass is still there, but the steam fogs it until everything looks vague and distorted. Instead of throwing the mirror out, you wipe the surface and the face looking back comes into focus. Conflict is like that fog. The relationship is still present, but the view is blurry. In Jesus, the Holy Spirit clears the surface, not by smashing the mirror, but by wiping away the film so you can see each other again.
A simple way to walk this out today: if a coworker or family member has stung you with a careless word, pause the rush to defend yourself. Turn to the Lord and say, Lord, I rely on You to speak Your truth and kindness through me right now. Then ask a clarifying question, name the impact without accusation, and, if needed, invite a trusted believer to join a follow up conversation. You are not managing a checklist. You are yielding to the indwelling Spirit to express the life of Jesus in real time.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You that in Jesus I am no longer bound to old patterns. Thank You for the peace of Christ that already rules in my heart, for the wisdom You have placed within me by Your Spirit, and for the family You have given me to walk with. I agree with You about who I am. I am crucified with Christ and alive to You. I have the ministry of reconciliation. I have Your love poured into my heart. I gratefully receive Your sufficiency for today’s conversations. Lord, I trust You to live Your patience, courage, and clarity through me in this moment. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Scripture References for the Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture Section
1 Corinthians 6:1-3. 1 Corinthians 4:5. Galatians 2:20. Romans 6:6-11. John 15:1-11. Colossians 3:12-15. Ephesians 4:1-3. Philippians 2:1-5. James 3:17-18. Matthew 18:15-17. Romans 12:18-21. 1 Peter 4:8. 2 Corinthians 5:18-21. 1 Corinthians 2:12-16.