To Be A Witness

A couple of weeks ago, Amanda Hall preached a sermon on unity. Near the end she spoke about the three step process in Matthew 18:15-20 concerning sin in the church and how to resolve it. But she took it one step further and talked about how the three step process can also relate to conflict resolution between people in the Church. 

Today, I want to focus on the 2nd step found in Matthew 18:16. 

“But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” 

In Proverbs, there are many wise sayings that help turn us away from sin and back on the path towards God. I believe they can also help us be wise in choosing the person who could be a witness in a conflict. 

1. “Better is open rebuke than hidden love.” Proverbs 27:5 

Find someone who you trust to be truthful. Someone willing to call you out if you are in the wrong. If you have a friend that is willing to call you out when they see you sin, that is a friend that truly loves you. They would also be a person who could be impartial and not take sides. 

1. “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.” Proverbs 10:13

A witness needs to be a person who will not break your confidence. Remember, you are bringing them into a situation that could be sensitive. Make sure that you and the other person can both trust the witness to not talk behind your backs. 

1. “Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” Proverbs 17:9

Once the matter has been addressed it cannot be brought back up out of context. This situation is not meant to be a weapon in a later argument. All parties must agree that the topic will only be spoken about within context. Because, let’s face it, the matter is probably not fully resolved if someone still feels the need to bring it up in an argument. 

Could you see yourself being asked to be a witness in an argument or confrontation? Would you be able to approach a situation with love? 

I would like to encourage all of you, if the day comes and you are asked to be a third party in a disagreement. Take a deep breath, pray, and listen without speaking. Allow God to use you in the moment and let him speak through you.

Bethany Thomas is the Publicity Coordinator and a contributing writer for Shaken & Stirred. She is a daughter of God, a wife, and a dog mom. When not writing for the blog, you are most likely to find her reading a fantasy novel or crafting at her home in Sapulpa, OK.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

God's Timing // Mary Swafford

I love God’s timing. Sometimes we’re lucky enough to recognize what God is doing when he does it and other times… Not so much.  

I’m reading through the bible this year.  I’m using one of those preset plans on my bible app that tells me what passages of scripture to read from the Old Testament and what days to read it as well as a Psalm or Proverb and a reading from the New Testament. This is my fourth year to read through the bible in this way. I absolutely love it  Every year I feel like God reveals more of himself and his word to me and I’m able to connect the dots a little more every day.  

What’s funny about God’s timing and my bible reading plan is that one day, several weeks ago, I was reading through the book of Job. In chapter 28 specifically.  On this particular day, I was also reading Proverbs chapter 2. It was AWESOME because what I was reading in Job directly correlates with what I was reading in Proverbs!  And then, as if that coinkydink wasn’t enough, I had a message, from Bethany Thomas, to the blog writers saying that for the month of July, we were going to write about a Proverb each week.  

BLAM! “Ferb, I know what we’re doing today!”  (totally unrelated quote from the cartoon Phineas and Ferb)

Well, God revealing himself through his word and his timing is the easy part. Now I need to connect the dots for you and what he is teaching me.

My mind has been racing for weeks now. If you don’t know me, I am the women’s ministry director of Shaken & Stirred. For months, God has been speaking to me about a special event we are planning for you ladies in October. He keeps creating a stirring in my heart for Him and about his character and purpose. I KNOW what it is, but I don’t know how to communicate it to you yet. I’m reading and I’m praying and I’m meeting with other women who God has created this same stirring in. It’s incredible.  And yet, God isn’t finished. And so, neither am I. I’m still praying and I’m still looking.

I keep bouncing back and forth between our next Spill event and the October special event and this blog post. (thus the reason why I’m late getting it written).  And what God has just revealed to me is that part of my problem is my sight.

I’m looking and looking and looking at this passage and reading that book and speaking with those women. My focus isn’t exactly where it needs to be. I’m looking at things with face value, and I need to dig deeper.  I have a big picture, but I lack details. Thankfully, God sees the whole picture from beginning to end.  

I’m gathering facts.  I’m accumulating knowledge. What I need to do is seek wisdom. I pray for it and I ask for it, but I don’t believe I’ve been seeking it.  

“People know where to mine silver and how to refine gold.  They know where to dig iron from the earth and how to smelt copper from a rock [...] But do people know where to find wisdom?  Where they can find understanding?  No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living.” 
Job 28:1-2, 12-13

I’m just like the people Job was talking about. I know where to look for the information. I’m willing to do the hard work. I’m working for it with everything humanly possible. And that’s it. Humanly possible. I’m searching for something in the world that can only be found in God. It’s not humanly possible to gain wisdom and understanding of the scriptures or of God’s will by searching for it in a human way, with human tactics.  

“My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.  Tune your ears to wisdom and concentrate on understanding.  Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.  Search for them as you would for silver, seek them like hidden treasures.  Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.  For the Lord grants wisdom!  From his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.  He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.  He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.  He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just and fair, and you will find the right way to go.  For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy.”  Proverbs 2:1-10

I need to slow down. Quiet my mind. LISTEN to what God is saying and treasure his word.  

God tune my ears to your voice. Your quiet and gentle wisdom as you speak into me. Help me to concentrate on you as I cry out to you, Lord give me understanding of what you are saying.

God thank you for who you are and who I am because of you. I give you my heart and my life.  Thank you for your joy and your presence. For always.  Amen!!

Mary Swafford is the founder of Shaken & Stirred, Meals that Matter, Coffee Talk, and a Co-Owner of Boulder Coffee in downtown Sand Springs. She is a wife, a mother of 3 beautiful children, but most importantly a daughter of the most high God. You are likely to find her chugging or serving coffee, sitting in a tattooist’s chair, or making friends out of strangers.

Photo by Bruno Figueiredo on Unsplash