Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
—Judges 11:12-18
by: Steve Osborn.
Say what you will about Jephthah, but in this passage, we see him functioning as a peacemaker. Too often, when faced with a conflict, we adopt a “fight or flight” mentality, thinking those are our only options. But Jephthah chose “Option C”; he tried to reason with the leader of the Ammonnites, explaining what he knew of the history of the situation in hopes of de-escalating the tensions that had been driven up by the Ammonites. In this instance, it did not work. But we can still learn from Jephthah’s example. Try talking to people with whom you have a conflict. You may be able to work out an amicable agreement.