Article January 8, 1972 Issue

Dissolving Quarrels

DAVID LAWRENCE HAASE

Personal disputes are often considered normal in business or the home. Some people even consider quarrels necessary for a healthy marriage. Yet how many business and marriage partnerships have been destroyed on account of an insistent dispute!

Through the study of Christian Science one is enabled to dissolve bitter disagreements and, better still, prevent them from occurring. In preventing disputes, the individual needs to know the truth of God's perfect relationship to man, which makes it possible for him to be constantly cooperative, harmonious, and joyous. The man God creates never antagonizes others, never causes friction or irritation, because God creates man spiritual and loving.

Paul stated, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."^{Col. 3:12, 13;} He added, "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."^{v. 14 ;} When an individual reviews the fact that man's genuine, spiritual identity is peaceful and unselfed, this truth can prevent frustration and anger.