by Mike Bennett

It is much easier to offend and to fight than to reconcile with a brother or sister or friend we have offended. The obvious lesson is to think before speaking and work hard to avoid offending in the first place.

But when we have caused offense, even though it is difficult, we should strive to rebuild the relationship. Recognizing the effort and the value of restoring relationships will encourage a long-term commitment to that challenging process.

For more on rebuilding relationships, see the articles in our section on “Forgiveness” and our section on “Relationships.”