Opportunity beyond Opposition
When we hear the word opportunity, we may think of the stock market or flipping a property. But in the past weeks, it is a word that I have both heard and used many times in the context of misunderstandings or conflict. Here at MCC, if you have been here long or intend to be, you will hear this unusual pairing of words: ‘Conflict is an opportunity.’
It is a privilege to serve in a community where the priority is peace: producing it, protecting it, and restoring it. Misunderstanding or fractures in any human relationships are inevitable and common, but I have been pleasantly reminded how uncommon our response to them is.
With a shared language and intention, I want to set before our whole community the exciting truth that together we can see challenges change and grow us as individuals! We can see challenges encourage us collectively to achieve and to make real, true peace instead of faking peace, or worse, breaking it.
Let’s choose peace over provoking, opportunity over opposition, reconciliation over revenge, forgiveness over resentment, love over hate, growth over greed, harmony over dissention, and community over isolation. In the simplest terms, our flow chart towards peace includes overlooking where possible, considering how we can glorify God in the process, owning our part, gently restoring with negotiation, and pursuing genuine peace with support as needed.
However, some conflicts are out of our hands and beyond the MCC walls; but they are important. In the conclusion of my article this week, I make an invitation in these conflicts to choose “Prayer over Powerlessness”. In our country, including sister schools and family members, many have been devastated by floods and our world is in conflict, as Ukraine suffers on centre stage.
I choose prayer over powerlessness, alongside contributing generously where we can, I want to personally commit a small amount of time each day to pray, and I invite our students and families to consider doing the same.
Also, for those students and staff who would like to, let us unite in a moment, by meeting at the flagpole on Thursday 24th of March at 7.45am to consider and pray for Ukraine and an end to the conflict. Conflict is difficult, but together, let’s always, choose opportunity over opposition.
Bonnie Lang, Head of Pastoral Care