Community living - 1

Been studying different groups that live in community - Franciscans, Dominicans, Bblical examples and others. What a wide array of groupings from very loose to strict adherence of rules. I'm not so much interested in the mission of a group at this point, as I am HOW DO THEY GET ALONG. Whether it is a 25 year-old coming back home to live, an elderly parent needing to move in with an adult child, or two families moving in together to make ends meet. HOW DO THEY GET ALONG PRODUCTIVELY?

The first challenge seems to be conflict resolution... something is going on that I don't like. How is that resolved?

Been into Galatians 6 lately. Great stuff regarding confrontation. Examine it with me for a while.

I'll lay the backdrop for the study beginning in the next post.


“Who are you to tell me there is sin in my life? You’re not so holy yourself.”
Fred, an occupant of a three generational family that lives together was tired of his critical, controlling, dominating sister always pointing out his faults. He continued, “can’t you see why at the age of 33 you’re still single? You are so critical and dominating, no man could stand to live with you.’

A response of this nature is too often the norm in confrontation. A sharp, critical and angry interchange ensues. Or too frequently the opposite extreme – represssion, stuffing confrontation so as not to cause hard feelings or experience rejection. Fred’s father was very passive. Though his mother, wife and daughter were very critical of him, he said nothing. TV and golf were his escapes. Fred didn’t want to be like his dad so he fought back.Temper was at times uncontrollable.