Social_and_Personal_Context_of_Conflict

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL CONTEXT OF CONFLICT A QUESTIONNAIRE In partial fulfilment Of the requirements in Reconciliation and Peacemaking At the Cornerstone Institute By Alain le Sueur 8 February 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONNAIRE……………………………3 2. CONCLUSION…………………………………………………..5 3. BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………...6 1. I was walking my Jack Russell, Bullet, about 10 days before this Questionnaire’s due date. So it happened quite recently. I was passing a near by church, and there was a man walking his two poodle puppies. They were not on leads and the one came after my Jack Russell and bit my Jack Russell’s tail and I lashed out at the puppy with a small whip which I always take with me in case of big dogs, but with the recent motor car accident which my brother was in had left me very emotionally unstable. I missed the dog on purpose to give it a fight and to chase it away. But the owner was upset by this and said to me that I can’t lash out at his dog, it is only a puppy. This made me furious and I said about three times over why aren’t your dogs on a lead, it is the law. He finally said that he is the Pastor of the church and this was the church grounds, and if I had a problem with that I must walk my dog somewhere else. So I turned around and headed back to the street leaving the church grounds. When I had got back home my mind kept running over what had happened at the church. After visiting my brother at the hospital I went back to the church grounds to see if I could find his house. I wanted to apologise to him on how the situation was carried out. None of the doors I rang could help me on where the Pastor of the church lives. Disappointed I went back home. The next day was Sunday and I thought now is my opportunity to say that I’m sorry. I walked to the church and the service had just finished and I saw a old man at the entrance of the church building. I went to him told him the story and asked if I could see the pastor to apologise to him. The man I was speaking to was the Pastor, but he wasn’t the man with the dogs the previous day. Finally a family friend of my father’s came out of the church with his whole family and they wanted to know what had happened. So I told them and they also tried to help me, finally they found him for me. He was one of the Elders of the church and so I was happy to see him and explained that I was truly sorry of what happened the day before. He said it was ok and we shook hands and I left. While walking home I felt very free and liberated. 2. The peace making. It made the situation better because I apologised and he forgave me and we were laughing and joking at the end. 3. Mainly for me was to apologise to him for what had happened. And then my other goal would be that he would forgive me which he did. And then to build a friendship out of what had happened. 4. Well it was basically how it was all played out and that God was like the Director in a film showing us the way to say sorry and forgive each other and do it in love for each other. 5. To show them how important it is to apologise and to forgive each other and just like we serve a merciful God so must we forgive and say that we are sorry to others. 6. Learn to love and forgive others like Christ loves his church or us people. To see his loving mercy for myself and others and try to reflect that each day so that people will see there is a God who loves and cares from them. 7. The Bible teaches us to love our enemies and to pray for them. The next conflict I have with someone I will first pray for them and then forgive them. And try and rebuild the friendship which was hurt or destroyed. To love the person or people that hurt me and to forgive them. 8. None of the mentioned in the questionnaire, but there is one that I do struggle with and that is in my mind. And I have to say sorry to God for thinking bad of one of His children and give it back to God for Him to deal with it. 9. The Bible, I could use it to see what God has to say about bitterness or forgiveness and loving others. The Holy Spirit, He is the comforter. I can use the Fruit of the Spirit, like Kindness, Joy, Love, Thankfulness, Forgiveness. And my dad always says that when you have bitterness or unforgiveness towards someone, it is like yourself drinking a bottle of poison thinking that it will harm the other person. 10. “I am pleased that you did not carry on fighting with the man and walked away just at the right time.” “I am pleased that you went to apologise to him and do it in a loving way and a honourable way.” 11. Dear Lord I want to thank you for teaching me your ways in loving others and forgiving those who have hurt me. Lord, thank you for the lessons in this text book that I have read, it has showed me how important it is to forgive others. Lord, help me to stay on the Peacemaking side of the Slippery Slope and not to stubble to the peace faking side on the left of the slope or the peace-breaking side on the right of the slope. I want to thank you for all our blessings. Amen. CONCLUSION In conclusion, I have seen ways and learnt techniques that will enhance my growth in Christ, teaching ways to love his people more and more each day. And how to say sorry and how to forgive them. I hope and pray that I would be able to use this in the future because where ever we go there will always be conflict. BIBLOGRAPHY Sande, K 2004. The Peacemaker. P21-42 Grand Rapids: Baker Books