Can two walk together?

Amos 3:3 -

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (KJV)
Do two walk together unless they have made an appointment? (NRSV)
Two people will not walk together unless they have agreed to do so. (NCV)
Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? (NLT)
Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? (NIV)
Do two people walk hand in hand if they aren't going to the same place? (MSG)
Can two people walk together without agreeing to meet? (CEV)
Shall two walk together, except they have agreed? (ASV)
Do two walk together if they have not met? (YLT)

This verse appeared in a recent Bible study as one of the theme verses for a leader's Bible study that I recently led for the leaders of some of the women's circles in my church. The verse appeared in the study as the first one, and my own Bible that I'd brought with held the second verse. I had heard the verse before, and was of course struck again by the differing possible connotations between the two translations.

Add to this that I had just finished a conversation earlier in the afternoon with a friend regarding her continued decision to break off a relationship with another friend that she had a disagreement with a few weeks ago. After declaring that she had 'realized what some people deserve,' she made it clear that she had no desire to spend any more time with the person in question. However, as both she and the other friend both spend time in our larger group of friends, it was inevitable that at some point, the two would likely see each other if they continued to both participate.

Then, the other night, a handful of us decided to get together and play some games, and both of them were there. Didn't seem like a big deal, no arguments, it actually didn't appear that anything happened at all. I guess we hadn't seen everything that went on, according to this friend.

This led to another conversation, where it was asserted that the only people she still trusted were me, my boyfriend, and another mutual friend, stating that she was mad at the other five friends for 'talking behind her back.' That's a lot of anger to keep track of.

I am amazed and amused sometimes at God's timing, and the different elements that he causes to converge in our lives. Just a bit later that day, as I was perusing the realm that is facebook, I happened to see one of my youth that had posted a status asking if drama got better as people got older. A smile, perhaps a disappointed one, immediately crept across my lips. No, no child, drama does not go away. People instead just find new and more creative ways to perpetuate it in their own lives.

That same evening is the night that I led the Bible study that contained the verse above, and the study itself was focused on loving relationships, and learning to get along with people with whom we might not see eye to eye with. I would have given anything to have my friend there to hear it.

But would she have heard it? I don't know. After you've 'realized what people do and don't deserve,' can you still hear that message? It breaks my heart, really, more than anything. I am stuck in a situation again that is riddled with frustration, confusion, anger, and uncertainty. Instead of being able to simply round up the troops and have fun together, people are left wondering how much has to be done to avoid potential further drama. Do we invite her if the other friend will be there? Do we not invite her and run the risk of her feeling left out? Should we really have to deal with the issues of another adult that should be dealing with the issues on her own instead of creating more of them? I don't know.

Now the question seems to be asking which is better, confronting an issue or letting things go that we can't control? However, the definitions of each I think are misunderstood in this question. Confronting, not to be confused with attacking, is a valuable tool that can be used to further understand the issue at hand. Both sides must state their position, and both sides must listen to the other position. Confrontation can be risky, because it forces us to hear and understand what we have sometimes worked so hard to ignore or explain away.

Letting things go, on the other hand, is not merely refusing to deal with an issue in an attempt to pretend it is no longer around. Instead, letting something go is akin to forgiveness, and requires just as much effort, often, as a confrontation would. Letting something go might mean no longer pursuing a friendship or relationship, but it might possibly also mean being willing to let go of our pride and start over again in the relationship. This must be done with the understanding that what was said or done is no longer relevant to the relationship, and that both people are able to interact in a regular manner.