In the last 24 hours I have learned that a personal friend (who is a police officer) shot somebody and in our staff meeting we discussed several situations where confrontation is necessary. What do these two have to do with each other? They are both loving and necessary, but neither are easy.
Loving – both of these actions required intentional, deliberate action without malice in the heart of the intervening person. Both the confrontations discussed and the police shooting are necessary for the benefit of others and neither permanently incapacitated the wounded party.
Necessary – If the behaviors of the criminal and the people to be confronted are allowed to continue, it would put the community’s good in jeopardy and the offending party could find themselves confronted by somebody else who does not have the skill or self-control to remedy the solution incrementally.
Easy – nobody wants to be the bad guy! Most soldiers and police officers dream of a career where they never have to discharge their weapon at another person. Most Christians yearn for an environment where confrontation is not necessary. We don’t want strife; we don’t want conflict; we want everybody to like us.
Proverbs 27:6 says “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” It takes a true friend who is willing to speak the truth in love! As a teacher or small group leader, that is my encouragement for you today – be that kind of friend.
