Joshua 22:30-34 Unity!

 30When Phinehas the priest and the chiefs of the congregation—the heads of Israel’s clans who were with him—heard what the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh had to say, they were satisfied. 31Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest said to the descendants of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, “Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this breach of faith against Him. Consequently, you have delivered the Israelites from the hand of the LORD.”

32Then Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest, together with the other leaders, returned to the Israelites in the land of Canaan and brought back a report regarding the Reubenites and Gadites in the land of Gilead. 33The Israelites were satisfied with the report, and they blessed God and spoke no more about going to war against them to destroy the land where the Reubenites and Gadites lived. 34So the Reubenites and Gadites named the altar Witness, for they said,d “It is a witness between us that the LORD is God.”

Unity!

“Phinehas could see that the LORD was among us, because unity had been restored among the people of Israel. This fulfilled the passage from Psalm 133:1: Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Guzik)

“We should respond to misunderstanding in the same manner, according to these same principles.

· Respond with a concern for God’s holiness.

· Respond with the courage to confront in love.

· Respond with an attempt to reconcile before you fight.

· Determine that you are willing to sacrifice to help them; don’t confront unless you are willing to help.

· Determine that you will see the situation from the perspective of the other person.

· Determine that you will believe the best of one another.” (Guzik)

I would only add that when there is a misunderstanding, lift it up to the Lord first and ask that He show you way. 

Have you ever had a misunderstanding that could have been avoided?

Blessings