Wherever there are people, there will be disagreements. One of the most unhealthy habits any community can exhibit is letting mean and hurtful comments in community spaces go unchallenged. Safe, loving space means the calling to let the consequences of hurtful words or actions rest on the one who say or do them, because to do otherwise is to comfort the offender while telling the wounded that it’s their problem because we don’t want the offender to feel bad.
The calling of the church is a calling to make this community a space where conflict is loving and humanizing, so we can learn to live together in the love that heals.
Wherever there are people, there will be disagreements. One of the most unhealthy habits any community can exhibit is letting mean and hurtful comments in community spaces go unchallenged. Safe, loving space means the calling to let the consequences of hurtful words or actions rest on the one who say or do them, because to do otherwise is to comfort the offender while telling the wounded that it’s their problem because we don’t want the offender to feel bad.
The calling of the church is a calling to make this community a space where conflict is loving and humanizing, so we can learn to live together in the love that heals.