I don't like conflict.

I don't care what it's about - I just hate it.

But today I read Acts 18-19, where Luke talks about Paul going to Ephesus, creating turmoil in the religious sphere (people traded religious power with the seven sons of Sceva, 19:11-20), the business sphere (the silversmith Demetrius was in charge of making statues of Artemis, but now he's out of business, 19:23-31), and the political sphere (the city clerk heard about the anti-gospel riots and needed to keep public order, 19:32-41).

I see myself as that pathetic, helpless city clerk brushing everyone's shoes just to stop all the rioting (read the passage - it's kinda funny if you picture a short, bald man saying those words. Like Cyrus in Gossip Girl). Maybe he was on the verge of being fired for not keeping public order so he had to appease everyone. Not me. I would say what he said simply because I hate conflict. I hate people turning backs against each other because of small things. I just can't handle it.

We are in the Advent season, remembering the Word becoming flesh to dwell among us. He came and flipped money changers' tables, He came and turned children against their parents, He came and basically turned the world upside down. To me, this is pretty scary conflict. As C.S. Lewis said, Jesus didn't come to be a moral teacher. With the things that he did, he's either a madman, a liar, or Lord and Savior. There is no middle ground. With my city clerk attitude, there's absolutely no resolution, no compromise.

So be ready for conflict. We as Christ's representatives must be ready to even create some conflict. That's what He came here to do anyway.