Matthew 2:13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

Sometimes the best course of action is to run away! Sometimes we are to stand and fight, as Paul talks about with spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6, and it is true that “He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world,” (1 John 4:4) but sometimes we are simply to escape, to avoid direct conflict. This is particularly true in relation to temptation. Paul didn’t say that with every temptation there is a way to resist it, he said there is a way of escape. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Actually, the NIV renders that as “stand up under it,” which is actually true, but leaves us thinking, “Oh, I can resist that temptation,” and that can lead to our downfall. Some major ministries have been destroyed because of that exact problem. We aren’t to go looking for dangerous situations! We have no reason to be afraid, but we have no excuse to be foolish, either.

My difficulty on this issue is my tendency to avoid confrontation at almost any cost. That’s not good either! As this says, I’m not to go looking for trouble, but neither am I to run from it. In the situation with Herod, it would have drastically affected Jesus’ upbringing if God had supernaturally killed all the soldiers coming to kill Him, or even made the holy family invisible to the soldiers. I am not to try to dictate to God how He is to protect me, but rather listen and obey with the assurance that His plan is best. And that certainly includes speaking the truth in love even when it might generate conflict. I am not to wound needlessly – I do too much of that – but I am not to draw back from admonishing and correcting as the Lord directs.

Father, help me have full assurance and obedience in every situation. Help me escape needless conflict, and help me stand firm in conflict that accomplishes Your purposes. Help me be fearless in prayer, and help me speak to others only what You direct. May my words be free of pride or any other pollution so that they may bring healing and not needless wounding. May I fulfill my place and function in the Body of Christ, so that others may be built up and Your name glorified. Thank You. Praise God!