Professional Behavior Within Advanced Reconciling
Getting Started
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” Hebrews 12:14 (NIV).
You are a social worker dealing every day with brokenness; brokenness in the form of mental illness, impaired functioning, shattered relationships, life crises, low self-esteem, hopelessness, etc. We are meant to work to restore relationships and order back to God’s original intention of the Creator–created bond. This requires reconciliation from past hurts. Peace with others is necessary for reconciliation.
Our society is plagued with crimes against humanity—murders, shootings, break-ins, sexual crimes, bombings, etc. It is all the more important to live in positive relationships with one another. Christ practiced reconciliation Himself by dying on the cross to forgive our sins and allow us to once again have a relationship with the Father. We are also called to reconcile ourselves to God by living a life without sin.
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Reconciliation acknowledges the fact that people are separated from one another. Our sin separates us from Christ, and hurts and wounds separate people from each other. People allow hurts and wrongdoings to create a wedge and barrier between them. Until they humble themselves to heal these wounds, the wounds continue to grow, and recovery will be more painful. Jesus provides a biblical model to restore relationships.
Upon successful completion of this assignment, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate Christ-like attitudes, values, worldviews, and ethical and professional behavior within advanced clinical practice. (ILO 1)
- Examine the impact of Christian influences on social welfare. (PO 5, ILO 5)
- Demonstrate character, scholarship, and leadership in becoming a world changer through application to personal life and professional social work practice.
Resources
- Bible
Background Information
“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” Ephesians 4:32 (NIV).
“So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them” Luke 17:3 (NIV).
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” 1 Peter 4:8 (NIV).
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” Colossians 3:13 (NIV).
This week, self-reflect and cry out to God about any grudges you may hold. Forgive your offenders and reach out to those you may have offended. Reconcile relationships with others that your relationship to Christ may be restored. Help your clients to let go of past hurts and learn to grasp the love Christ has for them.
Instructions
- Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
- Write a one-paragraph response to each of the following prompts:
- When was the last time you consciously forgave someone who may have hurt or disappointed you? What was that process like for you and how can you teach what you’ve learned to others?
- Practicing forgiveness on a regular basis can be healing to your mind, body, and spirit. What are some ways you might practice forgiveness towards others? Provide a specific example.
- As you enter the field of social work, how will you deal with clients who are unable or unwilling to forgive others? How might you help guide them?
- Before finalizing your work, ensure that you:
- Have followed the assignment instructions carefully.
- Use the computer’s spelling and grammar check.
- Use APA format for organization, style, and source credits, including:
- 12-point, double-spaced Times New Roman font
- One-inch margins on all sides
- Normal character spacing
- In-text citations
- Title page and reference page (may not have reference page as it is not required to list Bible in references)
- Properly formatted headings