When dealing with conflict, taking the higher road is always the
best way to handle and maintain your own moral high ground. To take the higher
road means to learn to respond in a manner that will not escalate a bad
situation but disarm the situation by cooling it down. As children of God we
must learn to make great effort in finding God’s perspective in every situation
that disagreements place us in, no matter how hard it may seem. When we have
been wronged by someone that does not see the situation as clearly as we may
feel like we do, and have wronged us, then the only thing that can be done is
to take the high road and agree to disagree with them and move on. After you
have reminded yourself that whatever the situation was… will more than likely
not even possibly matter to you in five years from now…. then move on! Don’t
let someone or something rob you of your joy or ruin your day over something
that might just be pretty trivial to them. Never let someone get the best of
you in a situation. Learn to squeeze out every ounce of compassion towards them
and move on. Always be sure to take the time and not miss anything that may be
your responsibility. Admit what you should and then move on. Try to remember
that other people are looking at the situation from their own perspective
whether you feel like they have a foot to stand on or not. The reason that
there is a disagreement to begin with, is because two people are viewing a
situation from their own perspectives. What is your perspective by the way? Are
they based on codes and ethics, maybe scriptures? In conflict maybe the other
person has no code of ethics nor do they believe in scripture. They reason and
think the way they do because of the condition of their hearts and only God
knows the hearts of man. Shake it off and apply the Golden Rule (found in
Matthew 7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to
you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”) of kindness in every
situation you find yourself in; and you'll be surprised to find the peace that
you will get from any random act of kindness that you may show someone who may
not be deserving of your kindness; and you'll find yourself back on the high
road once again. Mark Twain once remarked that to act morally is noble, but to
talk about acting morally is also noble and a lot less trouble. While he may
have meant to be funny his words are very misleading. Being noble is a lot of
trouble to those who have no desire to seek or apply it. The scripture says
that where a man’s heart is there is his treasure. So anytime we can act in a
godly manner is much better than just talking about it. We are to be doers of
the Word and not hearers only the Scriptures teach.
There have been saints and scoundrels all through history. The
saints have understood some important things about what God’s Word teaches us
and how we are to live if we are children of God. Scoundrels never seem to
grasp those truths and laugh and mock at them, as though they were silly
fables. If we know what to do in certain situations; then those truths can
motivate us to resist the temptations that threaten to lure us off the high
road and succumb to the low one. I work in the Transportation Industry. Within
our Industry we share a type of ethics that govern us with codes, regulations
and law as well as conduct. If you believe in these ethics and allow them to
guide how you do your job then they can keep you out of trouble in a number of
ways. If you however can be tempted to accept other alternative ways of
avoiding those codes and regulations as a substitute for real ethics, then you
may find yourself in a bad situation. But, if you allow those codes and
regulations to govern how you work within the industry, then you are following
that code of ethics and your actions or deeds reflect that ethic or standard
that you live by and they can provide you with protection. The same applies to
Godly ethics and regulations, if we practice and live by the Golden Rule for
instance then we dare not worry about God’s dealing with us as disobedient, but
obedient children. My brother has built his business through the years on his
personal code of ethics and the Golden Rule. He went out of his way in his
dealings with people through the years as he has built up his business to be
helpful, honest and trustworthy with his customers. As a result, his reputation
for integrity spread though those years and his business has flourished;
because his success was rooted in his character as well as his code of ethics.
He has strived with great effort to apply the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as
you would have them do unto you” and it has paid off in more ways than one for
him. That Golden Rule should be the principal or code of ethics by which all
Christians live by. Knowing and practicing that principal will always help to
refocus our minds, reminding us of our consequences if we do not follow it, and
nudge us in the right direction. By following it, we are living the life that
Christ died for us to have; the life more abundantly. Decide today what choices
are best for you and worth living for and yes, even dying to self for….to do
what is right and not what you feel like doing in the flesh; and let no other
code or action undermine it. Choose you this day whom you will serve…and get to
doing it! “As a prisoner of the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of
the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; with patience,
bearing with one another in love. Diligently keeping the unity of the Spirit
with the peace that binds us.” Ephesians 4:1-3 The Higher Road is by no means
easy, but it is, the right way! Let’s love each other, no matter the cost!
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