It is good to see my friends getting along.

If you are a regular reader of STTA you have noticed that reconciliation has been a frequent theme.  The Psalmist says it is good and pleasant when brothers dwell together in unity.  Over the past year or so, a major prayer request on my list--I've shared it with some of you--had to do with some people I know, some of whom are good friends, who had not been getting along.
If you gave me a roster of the people involved, I suppose I could go through the list and check off some who were at fault, and others who were largely innocent.  Since I can't see other's hearts and don't know all that is to be known, I'm sure I'd be wrong on some evaluations.  As one of my friends--a guy I'd put on the good-guy list--said, though, "One can always look back and see things that he did that were wrong, that he could have done better."  It will come as no surprise to learn that this man is a big part of the reason that peace is being made.  He approached his formerly estranged brethren with grace and humility.  In this case his approach was well received.
A couple of other friends of mine were involved after the fact.  I'll call them "True Yokefellow" One and

Two.  Lovingly, and firmly they approached key people from both sides.  Where they could they explained the situation bringing greater understanding.  More often they urged both sides to consider that unity is a virtue highly esteemed by our Lord.  He is a peacemaker.  We show our resemblance to our Father when we make peace.  They risked making others angry in order to encourage peace.
There were some, maybe everyone who moved toward peace, who came to the place where they were willing to say, "I was wrong.  Please forgive me."  Some acknowledged that they were the cause of the problem, others admitted that along the line they had reacted badly.  At some point--I'm surmising here, because I've seen it many times before--the need for confession of wrong ceased.  Let's face it, if finding or maintaining peace requires the constant listing, confession, and forgiveness of every wrong ever done, then life will shut down for any other business.  Ephesians 4 begins with tolerance, and ends with forgiveness.  We are imperfect people, living in an imperfect world.  If we are going to get along we need to cut one another some slack.  A point needs to come in reconciliation in which we say, "I see your heart.  I am willing to reach out to you, and relate to you, in that brand of love that covers a multitude of sin."  If we try to start here, jumping over the confession, forgiveness steps, we won't get to this point, but if we insist on dealing with every fault as if it were the problem, we'll just spin our wheels.
I haven't seen any oil dripping off of my friend's beard, but I do acknowledge that it is good to see God's people in unity.
Let's help increase this tribe.

It's STTA.