A little more: Matthew 18:15-20

Matthew 18:15-20 (NRSV)

“If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

What would a community look like if all anyone ever did was ignore those they were angry with? Or talk behind their back? Or in the parlance of today, "ghost" them?

Would relationship really work then? Would community?

Jesus gives some pretty clear and logical steps for handling conflict. And he gives the reason for it as well.

When there is a group of us gathered in Jesus name, he is there. A community is formed around that. But if we don't communicate with each other - even in the hard times - then the relationships will fail.

Unfortunately in a day of social media and email being the primary sources of communication, it has become far too easy to let go of this idea of working through difference through open communication. Far easier to write an angry Facebook post or drop a lengthy email that can lack context or give the reader a chance to respond or even understand the "tone" that sits behind the email.

We have moved away from directly communicating our problems, our conflicts - and even our joys and hopes - one to one, face to face.

And it has had broad ranges of impact on our communities: our home communities, our church communities, and even our larger community and world.

Who is someone you are struggling with today that you could go to, talk to, listen to as a fellow human being so that relationship would be healed?

Lord, give me courage to meet face to face with those I am in conflict with and help us to hear each other. Amen.