THE RIGHT WAY - Matthew 18:15-20  

What Does it Say?  “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offence. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. “I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” (Matthew 18:15-20 NLT)

How Does it Apply?  God knows we are human and there will be times when we will hurt each other.  He gives specific instructions on how to treat relationship ailments.  I don't know about you, but when I am mad at someone, I do not want to talk to them.  They have hurt me and I want to hurt back.  The most common way I do that is to tell my friends about the offence seeking support for my hurt and to make the other person look bad.  Telling someone else about a hurt is a tool used by Satan to destroy us, our friends, and our relationships with them.  It is a total opposite of how God wants us to handle conflict between Christians.  God tells us to go to our offender and tell them what they have done to offend us.  We are to work out the conflict and pray with them about it.  Prayer is a powerful tool when two or three people agree about something in prayer.  The best thing we can do to protect friendships or our marriage is to pray together for God's protection.  Get into the habit of praying with the people we care about for God's protection on our relationships.  God created us for relationships with Him and other people.  When we are offended, work out our differences.  If our offender is unreceptive, take someone with us and go back to talk to them again.  Don't give up on your relationships easily.  They are worth defending.  Even if we have made the mistake of telling someone else.  Confess to that person that we were wrong in telling them and ask forgiveness.  We could ask them to hold us accountable to work things out.