May the God of peace,…equip you with everything good for doing his will,
and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be
glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews
13:20-21
The question came up
during a job interview. “How do you deal
with difficult people?” Caught off guard, I am afraid my answer did not
really cut it. “Sometimes I laugh.”
I guess because of the inadequacy
of my answer, that question just burned a hole in my heart and mind. I kept
revisiting it.
I have to admit, sometimes
I do laugh. Do they realize how childish they are acting? Sometimes I use
avoidance. I stay away from them as much as possible.
The truth of the matter is
that usually if a person is “difficult”, they have an underlying reason behind
their crankiness. In getting to know people I have discovered some of their
reasons.
Issues from childhood rank
high on the list – verbal, physical, emotional abuse; an alcoholic or drug
addicted parent; extreme losses of relatives or home. If these issues remain
buried they can lead to an adult not trusting others or their world around
them.
They could be experiencing
difficulties in the present which cause their reactions to seem cranky or edgy.
Death of a spouse, divorce, caring for aging parents, children who choose a
seemingly wrong path for their lives can all cause a person to be weighed down
by life.
I have to admit sometimes
even I am the “difficult person.” How would I like people to deal with me when
I am unpleasant? Quite frankly, I would like to be treated with kindness.
The next time this
question comes up, I want to be ready for it. My answer will be quite different
from the first time. I will say that I want to get to know that person. Maybe I
can get that person to trust me enough to share their burden with me. I will
treat that person with kindness and pray for them every time they come to mind.
That is my resolve to “deal with difficult
people” from now on. With God’s guidance, I believe I can succeed.
Father, help me to be more
thoughtful and kind as I am dealing with others. Thank you for your grace when
dealing with me.
Susan P.
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