Father,
We know from the prayer of Jesus and from many other scripture references how important unity is to you. Lord Jesus, you want your church to be one just as you are one with the Father. You also want married people to be one. I know people who just seem to stir up controversy and division. They do that in the workplace, in the church and in the home. I believe that is the kind of person Paul was talking about in this verse. I pray that you deliver these children from becoming that kind of person. That you will bring positive influences into their lives of people who build up rather than tear down, people who bring peace rather than create controversy and people who show love as the unifying force in all aspects of their life. May these children follow these examples.
Certainly there are times when we must speak out in ways that will create controversy. When people are being mistreated and oppressed, you want us to speak out. When your teachings are being distorted and people are being led astray, you want us to speak out. Though I pray that these children have the courage to speak out in those times, I also pray that they will exercise sound judgment in deciding to speak out. That they ensure that the wrong they intend to right is truly a wrong and not just a matter of opinion. That they be able to determine, even when there is a wrong, whether the severity of the wrong merits the forcefulness of their planned action - that is, that they have the wisdom to know whether the cure will kill the patient. Much judgment and courage is necessary for all of this and I pray that you fill them with both the courage to act when needed to right a wrong, but also the judgment to know what action is appropriate with the view of maintaining unity if at all possible.
Amen
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