More Adventures with Jesus

Then there’s the adventure of dealing with difficult people (not that we are such a one at times!). The world is full on unhappy, hurting people, those who in their pain strike out at others. It is very easy to see such people as enemies, to avoid them, or to give it back to them.

Jesus has a different perspective for us: “…love your enemies, do good to them.” (Luke 6:35). So when we run into prickly people, we are not to “prickle back,” not to reply in kind, but to do good to them.

The question is always, “How?” We, obviously we don’t let them “push our buttons,” but view them for what they are, poor, angry, hurting individuals. First is to pray and ask God for wisdom. Then either disengage (not entering an argument is doing good), or reply kindly, not denigrating the other, but saying positive things.

One time I got a call from a man I’d been working with. He was very angry and told me off in no uncertain terms, accusing me of things I hadn’t done. When he hung up on me, I was shaking from the vicious interaction. I took some moments to calm down. What I wanted to do was write him a nasty email and give to him what he’d given me. But I knew that’s not what God wanted, so I went to praying, thanking God for this difficult happening, asking Him for wisdom. He led me to forgive this man, to ask God to do good to him, to put him in God’s hands.

The next morning, I got an email from him, but didn’t open it, not wanting another bad experience at the beginning of the day. I should have opened it, for he wrote apologizing for his behavior and making a reasonable request to rectify the situation! Doing good can bring good; not always, but can.

It was an adventure with Jesus, a chance to trust him, to do what He commands when I sure didn’t want to—and He worked it out! I need to remember that when the next adventure comes, as I have not always responded so well!