About a week ago one of the teenage boys at Eden came to me visibly upset and perturbed by something. Through the course of a 15 minute conversation he revealed he was having a very disturbing conflict with one of his housemates, a fellow teen at Eden and didn't feel he could resolve the issue himself. He asked if I, Ian, would intervene and speak to the boy for him. I conveyed my concern about the situation and agreed that action must be taken, but I was also concerned that this young man find a Biblical solution for himself. So, I encouraged him to go to Matthew 18, to read it several times that evening, and then to come and see me and tell me what God had told him should be done and what he should do in that situation.
Early on the next morning the young man arrived with a very serious face. He wasn't very excited about what he had found, but he did clearly and accurately articulate what Matthew18 says to do in a conflict situation among believers. So, he asked me if I would come with him to "confront" his brother. I asked if he had already done "step 1" in talking to his brother alone (I knew he hadn't because it is a very difficult action, in Shona culture, to directly deal with an issue between two people) and he responded with a "no." I encouraged him to try what the Bible says first and if it didn't go well, I would be more than willing to help with "step 2." That was enough encouragement to push the young man to try!
Early on the next morning the young man arrived with a very serious face. He wasn't very excited about what he had found, but he did clearly and accurately articulate what Matthew18 says to do in a conflict situation among believers. So, he asked me if I would come with him to "confront" his brother. I asked if he had already done "step 1" in talking to his brother alone (I knew he hadn't because it is a very difficult action, in Shona culture, to directly deal with an issue between two people) and he responded with a "no." I encouraged him to try what the Bible says first and if it didn't go well, I would be more than willing to help with "step 2." That was enough encouragement to push the young man to try!
The next day he arrived with a happy look on his face and a spring in his step. He had gone to his brother and spoken about his frustration and concern. Much to his surprise, his brother had responded with equal concern and urgency at resolving their personal issues. He was amazed that the conversation had gone so well and had been so "easy" once he had faced his fear. Though I assured him that it won't always be easy and your brother might not respond the way you would like every time, a huge victory had been won, by the Lord, in a young man's heart. This young man expressed his amazement and joy at "seeing" God's Word work in a real-life problem in HIS life! I cannot express adequately how exciting it was a watch as God solidified his faith through this experience! We are constantly praying, teaching, encouraging and striving to see the REALITY of God and His Word in these young peoples' lives, so to see God actively reach out to these kids is wonderful! Thank you for your prayers! God is doing His mighty work here and we are overjoyed to be a part of it!
This story also inspires a question within my heart... how convicted, convinced and confident am I that God's Word is real? That God's Word is powerful, active and true? How about you? How convinced are you? Actions speak louder than words in this answer and I, for one, am reminded to fully rely on God's wisdom and ways more and more completely at all times! I hope you are encouraged and pulled toward God through this story as well!
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