From the conflict in John 8:2-11 when the Pharisees and scribes brought a woman caught committing adultery to Jesus, we can learn how to resolve conflicts when one of the conflicting parties does not speak verbally even though talking is very important for conflict resolution.
We can see that the woman did not say a word until after Jesus had resolved the conflict and the Pharisees and scribes had left. This may have been because of her unadulterated shame or the shock of being caught in the act of adultery.
Being dragged to the Temple to be prosecuted by powerful Pharisees in front of the crowd that was being taught by Jesus could have also intimidated her into speechlessness.
In the conflicts you may be embroiled in or asked to mediate, you may find that one party may decide to remain silent as they seethe in anger or they may refrain from speaking in an attempt to punish the other parties for hurting their feelings. Frustration can also mute them if they think their needs won’t be met whether they verbalize them or not.
Whatever their reason, understand that even if they do not utter a word, they still talk nonverbally.
When Jesus stooped down to write on the ground, He could have been listening to what the woman was saying without words.
So, learn to study the other party's body language for silent clues to their thoughts and feelings so that you can resolve tricky conflicts effectively and increase the peace in your home, the productivity of your ministry and the profitability of your business..
Adapted from Resolving Conflicts just like Jesus Christ by Dr. Miriam Kinai © 2010 For more information click here.
Have you ever resolved a tricky conflict where one of the parties did not utter a word?
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