Meet Sue Bohlin

After my parents died, one of my brothers took offense at how our dad’s estate was divided. Per Dad’s instructions, those who had borrowed money, but not yet repaid it, had received part of their inheritance in advance, so their share of the estate was to be prorated accordingly. Our brother believed that all debts should be zeroed out before dividing the estate seven equal ways, turning the borrowed money into a gift.

On the basis of Dad’s explicit written directions, the executrix disagreed. And she prevailed. Our brother hasn’t talked to several of us since 2002. We see him interacting with other family members on Facebook, but he won’t respond to any overtures of the siblings on his “bad list.” My sisters and I would love to reconcile with our brother, but he’s not willing.

That’s the rub with reconciliation: it takes both estranged parties to be willing to re-engage with each other.

When two people are at odds with each other, we can illustrate their broken relationship as two people standing back-to-back, the exact opposite of the face-to-face position that is a picture of connection and fellowship. We can also illustrate a broken relationship as two people, but only one has turned his or her back to the other. Either way, someone’s refusal to forgive and be reconciled means the relationship is broken.

Both people need to turn toward the other to effect reconciliation. Whoever has turned his or her back must turn 180 degrees to be face-to-face again. That is what repentance looks like, and it takes humility to be willing to repent.

One of the most serious impacts of the Fall was that God and man turned back-to-back. No human being has ever returned to God first. “‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.’” (Romans 3:10-11, emphasis added) Praise God that, through His Son Jesus, He turned to us first. Praise Him for reconciling the world to Himself through Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19). And praise Him that He is not only willing to reconcile, but He longs for it!