Peace Treatments

I'm heading down to Kent, Washington on Wednesday for a 3 day Christian conciliation training event with Peacemaker Ministries. I'm totally looking forward to it. The mediation model I learned at the Justice Institute was interest based with a real emphasis on neutrality. The interesting thing about Christian mediation is that neutrality is actually unbiblical. We can be impartial yes, but neutral, no. There are distintives of good and evil, right and wrong, sin and grace in Christian mediation, but there are also distinctives like confession, repentance, forgiveness and restoration/transformation. One model of mediation has the potential to resolve conflicts while the other has the potential to change lives. So, yeah, I'm excited!!

Several months ago I blogged about why we need to take reconciliation so seriously. I talked about Cain and Abel and how in the course of time something occurred in Cain's heart that turned him into an embittered, angry, hard hearted, and ultimately, murderous man. This post will continue on with those thoughts. So, here's a question. Is anything too hard for the Lord? How about a hardened heart. All through scripture we hear God warning against the deception and destruction that a hard heart creates. And always, a hard heart develops over time. A hard heart does not just show up one day; it occurs slowly and surely when we do not remember God and the grace He has already shown us, the good work He has already done in us, as well as His future grace, being the good work He promises to complete in us. God made each one of a promise and when we forget that promise, we risk hardening our hearts. "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the thi