Updated Edition from 8/6/2015
Have you ever been around an angry person, someone that reacts to situations in a volatile way or harshly? Dealing with difficult people is hard. People can be downright mean. It may be tempting to desire retaliation. But, we are called to a higher purpose. We are to return cursing with blessings (Luke 6:28), hate with love (Luke 6:27), a harsh word with gentleness (Proverbs 15:1). We are to fight fire with water.
When we react with ‘fire’ back, we can set the whole situation ablaze; making it far worse than it was in the beginning. Fighting rage with rage only creates more rage. There is no room for peace. Our society seems to be full of people that just want to keep the rage going. Rational thought goes out the window, and everything around them ends up being consumed in their fire of rage.
Have you noticed how much the media and the government seem to want life to stay in chaos, turmoil, and in a state of ‘us vs them?’ Unfortunately, they will continue to stoke the fire because foolish people are easy to control and manipulate. The only way to break free and return to your own cognitive thinking is to become wise. One way to become wise is to not act foolishly.
“A fool gives full vent to his spirit, but a wise man quietly holds it back,” (Proverbs 29:11). Can you imagine how better life would be if everyone at least followed this one Proverb? A fool gives their anger power, and they like to vent it out quickly onto any target they can find. Yet, a wise man has the strength to hold back their anger and their tongue. A fool shouts words of hate. “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion” (Proverbs 18:2).
We do not want to be fools. We are called to be Ambassadors of Christ. What does He tell us to do? Turn the other cheek (Matt 5:39), “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven” (Matt 5: 44-45). Why should we act this way? Because we want to walk in Jesus’ footsteps and be God’s children, and this is how He acted. Remember, if we only love them that love us, “what reward do [we] have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matt 5:46).
Like I said in the beginning, we are called to a higher purpose. We have the living water, the Holy Spirit, inside us (John 7:38-39), and when we are attacked by fire, we are to make sure we put it out with water, not quench the water and react with fire.
I believe that we have to deal with difficult people to help train us to react correctly. The scripture is pretty clear that when we love those that hate us, we become children of our Heavenly Father and set-apart from the world. Therefore, when we face difficult people, instead of reacting on their level, we should respond back with the living water of love, which is how we learn to become God’s children. It isn’t any fun, and it isn’t easy.
Our carnal flesh is not going to want to turn the other cheek. Our carnal flesh may really want to fight back, but that isn’t our job. If we react like everyone else, then we become like everyone else and put out the light that is within us. How will the world know who the Messiah is if His people act like the world?
Let us walk in the Messiah’s footsteps and be wise. A wise person ignores an insult (Proverbs 12:16). A wise person is “cautious and turns away from evil” (Proverbs 14:16). A wise person is slow to anger (Proverbs 14:29). A wise person can bring healing with their words (Proverbs 12:18). In fact, “the words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook” (Proverbs 18:4). Therefore, fight fire with water, so that no one gets burned.