As you may know, I have a course of the Bible that I follow and study. While it is not spontaneous, God has never failed to teach me something from his word. It may not always be at that very moment but to hold onto for later. However, this morning was an example of perfect timing on His part. I had a conflict arise a while back. This morning, what was next on my study? Psalms 31. I have always enjoyed the Psalms. Maybe because I seem to relate to David and all his woes at times. Not that I plan on dancing naked in the street this morning, as we love our elderly neighbors.
David was the King. This man faced so many terrible situations, so many enemies. At the time he wrote this particular Psalm, he was facing the most disappointing enemy of all. His own son, Absolom. His OWN son. Absolom had flattered and lied to so many of Isreal's leaders that he ended up winning their favor and running his father out of the country. He disgraced his dad. My children are not old enough to plot out intentional lasting hurt aimed at me. However, when my 3 year old son gets mad he will tell me, "you're not my best friend anymore." That is ok. I'm not suppose to be, right? But what if he was 40 years old and I had devoted my life, time and money to raise him up to follow the Lord and he choose to humilate me, run me out of town, leave me to live in the caves of the dessert and never appear to care whether I even lived another day? I imagine that this would be the deepest kind of betrayal a parent could feel.
So if David can come through this time of hurt from his own child, his own flesh and blood, and give us examples of how to handle it, he is my mentor in the area of dealing with difficult people. Guess that makes him the Dale Carnagie of his time.
One of David's suggestions when dealing with those who bring us down is to not associate with them. Good advise. Look at where most conflicts tend to arise. When we are associated with others that we have not chosen to be with or have not chosen wisely. Friends in college that were not christians led to a life style of partying. Co workers with negitive attitudes that I had to see daily often drained my energy. A relationship that confessed of knowing God led to a terrible ending because their words did not equal their actions. Friends that were friends but constantly judging and ridiculing others eventually turned against me.
Now some relationships we can't just pick up and run from. We do not have to have lunch with the ladies that gossip at work. We do not have to continue to make an effort to keep a friendship alive that is not positive. We do not have to continue a relationship with a boyfriend that is not glorifing to God. But we do have to continue to be related to our family and inlaws. We do have to keep our kids around even if they cause us grief and zap our positive energy.
Jesus did hang out with the sinners, but that was to win their hearts and souls. He did not trust or carry on long standing friendships with them and devote himself to them if they were hard hearted. He did continue to be firm yet loving to them.
In the Disney's movie Cars, Lightening McQueen says, "float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beamer." This is a cute little saying that is easy to remember. We can be as graceful as a Cadillac when dealing with people, and at the same time we can be "The Ultimate Driving Machine" of our relationships that we choose.
I suggest that if you are dealing with a people problem today that you read through Psalms 31.
vs24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
David was the King. This man faced so many terrible situations, so many enemies. At the time he wrote this particular Psalm, he was facing the most disappointing enemy of all. His own son, Absolom. His OWN son. Absolom had flattered and lied to so many of Isreal's leaders that he ended up winning their favor and running his father out of the country. He disgraced his dad. My children are not old enough to plot out intentional lasting hurt aimed at me. However, when my 3 year old son gets mad he will tell me, "you're not my best friend anymore." That is ok. I'm not suppose to be, right? But what if he was 40 years old and I had devoted my life, time and money to raise him up to follow the Lord and he choose to humilate me, run me out of town, leave me to live in the caves of the dessert and never appear to care whether I even lived another day? I imagine that this would be the deepest kind of betrayal a parent could feel.
So if David can come through this time of hurt from his own child, his own flesh and blood, and give us examples of how to handle it, he is my mentor in the area of dealing with difficult people. Guess that makes him the Dale Carnagie of his time.
One of David's suggestions when dealing with those who bring us down is to not associate with them. Good advise. Look at where most conflicts tend to arise. When we are associated with others that we have not chosen to be with or have not chosen wisely. Friends in college that were not christians led to a life style of partying. Co workers with negitive attitudes that I had to see daily often drained my energy. A relationship that confessed of knowing God led to a terrible ending because their words did not equal their actions. Friends that were friends but constantly judging and ridiculing others eventually turned against me.
Now some relationships we can't just pick up and run from. We do not have to have lunch with the ladies that gossip at work. We do not have to continue to make an effort to keep a friendship alive that is not positive. We do not have to continue a relationship with a boyfriend that is not glorifing to God. But we do have to continue to be related to our family and inlaws. We do have to keep our kids around even if they cause us grief and zap our positive energy.
Jesus did hang out with the sinners, but that was to win their hearts and souls. He did not trust or carry on long standing friendships with them and devote himself to them if they were hard hearted. He did continue to be firm yet loving to them.
In the Disney's movie Cars, Lightening McQueen says, "float like a Cadillac, sting like a Beamer." This is a cute little saying that is easy to remember. We can be as graceful as a Cadillac when dealing with people, and at the same time we can be "The Ultimate Driving Machine" of our relationships that we choose.
I suggest that if you are dealing with a people problem today that you read through Psalms 31.
vs24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
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