Contention Prevention

One thing I really can't stand is contention.  I get very uncomfortable in situations when people are aggressive toward one another.  It could probably be traced to being a child of divorce and having witnessed a couple of my parents' arguments and not understanding what was happening.  Regardless of the source it's just part of who I am now to be a peacekeeper.

Last Sunday the lesson in third hour was from the teachings of Howard W. Hunter and it happened to be on the topic of prayer and help from on high.  In the lesson President Hunter recalled a story from when he was a bishop and a man in his ward expressed bitterness toward another man. President Hunter’s counsel reflected his testimony of the help that comes through prayer:

“I said to him, ‘My brother, if you will go home and pray for him every morning and every night, I’ll meet you two weeks from today at this same time and then we will decide what should be done.’”
After following this counsel, the man returned and humbly said of the other man, “He needs some help.”
“Are you willing to help him?” President Hunter asked.
“Yes, of course,” the man said.
“All the venom was gone and all the bitterness was gone,” President Hunter later recalled. “This is the way it is when we pray for one another.”- The Teachings of Howard W. Hunter, ed. Clyde J. Williams (1997), 39–40

I thought this was such a remarkable experience for all three men.  I see situations like this all the time in the wards I've lived in.  I've also witnessed others harboring bitterness toward people for things those people did do a third party!  I just can't wrap my brain around being angry with someone for something that has literally nothing to do with me.

In 3 Nephi 11:29 Jesus himself says "For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another."

Later in 3 Nephi 14 Jesus continues teaching that we should avoid looking for fault and contending with one another.

 1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he turned again to the multitude, and did open his mouth unto them again, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Judge not, that ye be not judged.
 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

In Mark Chapter 7 Christ directly calls us hypocrites if we honor Him with the talk but do not walk the walk.

 6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

 How can we continue to ignore this counsel from Jesus Christ found in Mark 5

39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 

And we are not to do this only once.  Matthew 18:

 21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

Stay away from contention.  Learn to forgive.  Where is the difficulty in this?