2 Kings 5:1-15

When my brothers and I were teenagers, The Family Meeting was a common occurrence. The Meeting was most often called when a disagreement between brothers had reached the point of knock-down, drag-out fighting, which was, of course, disruptive to the entire family. We’d all sit down in the living room to hear the latest issue: one side would give its opinion, the other would say what they wanted to, and our mom usually had something to say about the entire thing, too. What was my role in The Family Meeting? Great question, and I’d love to tell you: peacekeeper, mediator, queen of conciliation!

By definition, conciliation “allows people to state their point of view, discuss the issues in dispute and settle the matter on their own terms.” It was usually the case that one brother needed help putting words to what he was feeling, and the other brother needed to shut his mouth long enough to listen to what the other brother had to say. At some point in the conversation, one brother had to choose to opt out of antagonizing the other and into caring about what their brother was feeling; otherwise, the conflict would never be resolved.

A lot happens in 2 Kings chapter 5. There are multiple layers of hierarchy, race, and ethnicity, and in each interaction, someone has to choose out of antagonism, out of apathy, and into love for, in this case, a literal healing to take place. 

Conflict can come all too easily. Not caring can be easy, too. Choosing to care for and value those who are different, especially those who actively disagree with us? That’s tricky! It’s also risky, and most of the time so, so hard. The concept of conciliation is a big part of creating a Counter Culture for the Common Good. God hasn’t called us to be in active conflict with each other, nor does he tell us to give up caring about each other. Both are disruptive and destructive to the family of God. Instead, Jesus set the standard for this different way of living: caring for all parties involved in tense situations, facilitating healthy dialogue, and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Never-ending conflict has always been my own personal nightmare, so I was always willing to put myself in the middle of warring brothers to reach a faster resolution. It was never the most comfortable place to be, but as long as one party was willing to change course, some form of peace could begin to take root. Is there a situation in your life that needs encouragement toward conciliation?