… be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Be of the same mind one toward another. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
Have you ever thought that meekness might be an antidote to violence? This week’s guest, George Nutwell, has come to realize that the kind of meekness Jesus lived was the strength by which he defeated and overcame violence. Listen in as George shares with host Tony Lobl how we can live this meekness, too.
Can our prayers make a tangible difference when it comes to overcoming conflict? Judith shares her experiences with praying about conflict and explains how our prayers can contribute to healing on the world stage.
These readings are from a Wednesday Testimony meeting in Canberra. They are on the topic of forgiveness.
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Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
(The Bible KJV – Matthew 5: 9)
Though storm or discord cross my path Thy power is still my stay, Though human will and woe would check My upward-soaring way; All unafraid I wait, the while Thy angels bring release, For still Thy presence is with me, And Thou dost give me peace.
A Sentinel Watch interview with Joan Bernard Bradley. Click here to listen.
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In this interview Joan talks about how she overcame resentment over incidents of racial abuse and discrimination. She goes on to tell how through prayer and effort she has been able build respectful relationships in racially diverse settings.
This article, by Suzanne Riedel, was first published in the December 16, 2024 issue of the Christian Science Sentinel
For ages, many have acknowledged that practicing peace and goodwill is fundamental to human life. A few examples of this come to mind, such as the 2023 Academy Award-winning short animated film The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse (based on a book by Charlie Mackesy). In the film, the mole asks the boy what he wants to be when he grows up. The boy’s immediate answer is “Kind.”
Human gravitation toward goodwill, or benevolence, is also explored in Charles Dickens’ iconic A Christmas Carol. In it, Ebenezer Scrooge’s hardened rejection of good is transformed as he eventually feels the true spirit of Christmas. In such tales, the takeaway is often that kindness and goodwill are innate to the human heart and prevail even when people’s opinions and beliefs are threatened. They are qualities that are basic to a peaceful, thriving society.
Click here to read (or listen) to the rest of this article where Suzanne proves that Love is not just a feeling but a divine force that heals both physical and relationship problemsat Christmas time and always.
For those who seek to know how to think and pray about conflict take comfort in these readings from the Bible (KJV) and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy on the topic: Love – the Only Response to Conflict.
Because everyone is God-created, it is possible to see that each individual is worthy of—and able to—love.
Burning, white-hot hatred. We know it when we see it—fueling wars, spawning deep political divisions. Most of us yearn to see hatred give way at least to tolerance—and certainly love would be the ideal. But how do we get there?
You might be thinking, “I don’t hate.” Or, “I don’t personally deal with hatred.” But as we take a closer look, we may recognize ways we do feel dislike, animosity, or even hostility. For example, are we neutral when it comes to politics? We might even find ourselves rationalizing these feelings because, after all, there seem to be reasons for them. …
Click here to continue reading, or to listen to, Deborah’s article. In it she describes how she managed to overcome a long-term hatred and how she now uses this understanding to help her bring a sense of peace to other areas of her life.