The Call I Was Afraid to Make

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Romans 12:16 — Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!

I hadn’t said his name out loud in months.

Life kept rolling—work, errands, small talk—but every time his name came up, I skipped it like a song that hurt too much to hear.

I hated the state of where we were. So I did what I knew to do.

I prayed.

Every day, I laid it at Jesus’ feet, asking God to fix what felt beyond repair. And prayer was the right thing to do. But deep down, I knew something else too—action mattered. Some responsibility was still in my court. Praying felt faithful… but acting felt terrifying.

I couldn’t pick up the phone.

In fact, I blocked him.

I told myself it was for peace. For space. But if I’m honest, it was fear dressed up as wisdom. Blocking him kept me safe—from hearing something I didn’t want to hear, from having to be wrong, from having to be humble.

Months passed like that.

Then a mutual friend called. She mentioned his name, and I couldn’t hold back the tears. She didn’t scold me. She just looked at me and said gently, “Tammy… this can’t keep going. Y’all need to talk.”

She was right.

So I unblocked the number.

And I called him.

He didn’t answer. No script. No backup plan.

Five minutes later, my phone rang.

It was him.

There wasn’t a debate. We didn’t replay every detail. But we both said the hardest, holiest words:

“I’m sorry.”

Not because everything was instantly resolved. Not because we suddenly agreed. But because the relationship mattered more than being right. And humility spoke louder than a thousand arguments.

It reminded me of Romans 12:16: “Live in harmony with each other… Don’t be too proud… and don’t think you know it all.”

Harmony doesn’t mean sameness. It doesn’t mean pretending nothing happened. It means choosing humility over pride. It means laying down the need to win so love has room to breathe.

Maybe there’s a name you’ve avoided. A conversation you’ve postponed.

The smallest surrender can open the widest door.

You don’t have to fix everything today. But loosening your grip on being right? That’s often where Jesus does His best work.

 

A MOMENT TO REFLECT

  • Is there a relationship in your life where pride has quietly built a wall?
  • What might humility look like for you in that situation?
  • How does Romans 12:16 challenge your instinct to protect yourself or prove your point?
  • What is one small, courageous step you could take toward harmony this week?
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