Blessing – Words For The Temple

A Necessary Cool-Off Period: How to Address Interpersonal Conflict

If you have ever been angry with someone or about something and then reacted in a way that you regretted afterward, then you can understand the importance of taking time to think things through (in observance of the wisdom of Proverbs 19:2). However, just as it is important to observe a “cool-off” period, it is equally important not to let so much time pass that the purpose of addressing the issue is diminished (Ephesians 4:26). God, the author and perfecter of time, provides a blueprint for how to address difficult issues with reasoning and accountability while still loving those He confronted. As I read through the popular bible story, commonly referred to as “The Curse,” I gleaned a few life lessons and made some interesting observations regarding how God went about addressing a difficult issue with Adam and Eve. Let’s take a closer look.

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A Story of Commitment & Unexpected Blessing

The biblical book of Ruth is often referenced for the story of how Ruth met and married Boaz. While that story holds many important themes, today’s focus is the relationship between Ruth and Naomi. Ruth is a woman who is from a place called Moab. Naomi meets her after a long journey from Bethlehem, Judah (her home country) to Moab and some difficult years, following the loss of her husband. Naomi had two sons, named Mahlon and Chilion. These Hebrew sons married two women from Moab, Orpah and Ruth. The story reports that they stayed in Moab for about ten years before both Mohlon and Chilion die. At this point, things seem a bit bleak for these women. The story makes no mention of either of the wives bearing children. All they have left is each other. In a patriarchal society, that was a great disadvantage. However, as these women begin a new journey, things take an enormous shift in a new direction, though they don’t know it at the time.

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