Life Lessons: The Peacemaker
In American West folklore the Colt .45 revolver was known as the "Peacemaker." Gunning down anyone who disagrees with you is a violently aggressive concept of peace making, especially if you're the one getting shot. Many people go through life as verbal gunfighters ready to slay their opponent with words at the slightest provocation.
One of the most important principles of conflict resolution is to be assertive without being aggressive. This means that you have to be able to voice your opinions and feelings without attacking the other person.
Let's say you feel like your spouse doesn't listen to your ideas. Next time you're upset instead of saying something like "You know what your problem is..." Try starting your comment with, "Sometimes I feel like we do not understand each other..."
By using this method you can make your point without attacking the other person and increasing the level of conflict. Wise King Solomon wrote, "He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction" (Proverbs 13:3).
Course Content
Gary Petty
Gary Petty is a 1978 graduate of Ambassador College with a BS in mass communications. He worked for six years in radio in Pennsylvania and Texas. He was ordained a minister in 1984 and has served congregations in Longview and Houston Texas; Rockford, Illinois; Janesville and Beloit, Wisconsin; and San Antonio, Austin and Waco, Texas. He presently pastors United Church of God congregations in Nashville, Murfreesboro and Jackson, Tennessee.
Gary says he's "excited to be a part of preaching the good news of God's Kingdom over the airwaves," and "trusts the material presented will make a helpful difference in people's lives, bringing them closer to a relationship with their heavenly Father."
