[Faith-talk] FW: [reachingouttoothersgroup] Fwd: Difficult People

Wed May 25 16:57:44 UTC 2011

Okay, this one really touched me, so this will put a sock in the
devotionals for now.

Original Message: 
From: LRSBNA at aol.com
To: reachingouttoothersgroup at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [reachingouttoothersgroup] Fwd: Difficult People
Date: 
Wed, 25 May 2011 08:14:53 EDT

____________________________________
 From: brothermiller1 at yahoo.com
To: lrsbna at aol.com
Sent: 5/25/2011  2:00:07 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Difficult People

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Today's Bible Study 

Difficult  People        

Our response to difficult people should center around  the examples 
provided by Jesus, for He surely dealt with  many difficult people during
His time 
here on earth. His  interactions with these people was never with an 
attitude of  superiority or dominance, but rather one of subservience. In 
the 
Sermon on the Mount Jesus was quite specific: 

"But I tell you  who hear me: Love your  enemies, do good to  those who 
hate you, bless those who curse you,  pray for those who mistreat  you. If

someone strikes  you on one cheek, turn  to him the other also. If
someone takes 
your cloak,  do not stop him from taking  your tunic. Give to  everyone
who 
asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to  you, do not demand it 
back. 
Do to others as you would have them  do to you."  (Luke  6: 27-31)  

We also see a related statement by Jesus in Matthew  19:30: "But many who

are first will be  last, and many who are last will be  first." This is a

very difficult assignment,  and it is certainly not something we can do
on our 
own or in  our own power. Yet it is not impossible if we seek the  Lord's

help, because power from the Holy Spirit will enable  us to do things we
could 
never do on our own. 

In so doing, however, it is important to recall the  admonition given by 
the apostle Paul in Romans 12:3 "For by  the grace given me I say to every
one 
of you: Do not think  of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather 
think of  yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure  of

faith God has given you."  When we succeed in dealing with difficult
people 
with a  Christ-like attitude, it is never a cause for pride or  
self-aggrandizement; it is an occasion to praise the God who  makes all
things possible 
through Christ, who strengthens  and empowers us. (Philippians  4:13). 

Some advice similar to that of the Luke passages, and  just as difficult,

is given by Paul to the Christians in  Philippi, when he tells them to
"Do 
nothing out of selfish ambition or  vain conceit, but in humility
consider 
others better than  yourselves." (Philippians 2:  3-4)  Furthermore,
Proverbs  
12:16 tells us that "A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise  person stays
calm 
when insulted.

Chapter  13:4 of Paul's letter to the Corinthians  contains a description

of true Christian love-it is to be  patient and kind.   

Putting all this together, the way to  deal with difficult people is to 
love them, pray for them,  expect to give rather than to receive, maintain
a 
humble  spirit, and relate to them in patience and kindness. More 
important 
is the need to pray for the Spirit's power to  change our own hearts and 
minds toward the difficult person  and enable us to see them as needing
the same 
love, grace  and mercy that God extended toward us. Jesus even forgave 
the 
men who were going to kill him, as related in Luke  23:22-39. 

The way to deal with difficult people, then, is to  imitate Christ's 
humility and love. That kind of response is  both edifying to us and
pleasing to 
the Lord.

Brother Jerry / _brothermiller1 at yahoo.com_ 
(mailto:brothermiller1 at yahoo.com)   

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