But one of those who stood by drew his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. And Jesus said to them, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me, as you would against a man inciting a revolt? Every day I was with you within the temple grounds teaching, and you did not arrest Me; but this has taken place so that the Scriptures will be fulfilled.”

How do you react in moments of conflict? Some of us run away; others get hotheaded and react brashly; and some stand dumbfounded, not knowing what to do next. When people came to arrest Jesus, it brought anger, and one disciple (commonly believed to be Peter) reacted with violence in defense of Jesus. Many of us can relate. Because Jesus is dear to us, we feel strongly about what people say about Him and His ways. We can get heated in social media debates or hateful in our hearts toward those who are against Him. We feel noble in our cause, and ready to make a stand, yet Jesus shows us a peaceful way to encounter conflict.

Instead of avoiding or reacting, Jesus moved toward people in pain. He trusted in God’s sovereignty more than anything that was going on. He was in tune with God, prayerfully enduring hard conflict even when it was painful for Him. Jesus reminds us that our faith is not about a rising revolt; it is about a relationship with the God of the heavens who can be trusted and has a plan for redemption. He is the One who redeems what is broken; it is not on us to fix. He is the One who is the ultimate judge; it is not our job to carry out justice as we see fit. When conflict arises and even as people come against our Savior, we can hold fast to Him and trust Him instead of trying to handle it our way.

• What are some ways you have stood up for Jesus? Have you done so in a way that reflects God’s character? Why or why not?
• What are some ways you have tried to do fix things on your own? How is that different from trusting God to fix and redeem?
• Pray and surrender to God and ask Him to move in the lives of the people you feel you are up against in your faith.