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A reader of the blog contacted me yesterday asking if the podcast was up because they were having a really rough day with a co-worker and joked that they would like to send that co-worker six feet under (if you know what I mean.) She hoped my podcast would give her the encouragement she needed to “endure” her co-worker and I said it probably would not but I appreciated her listening to it anyway.
It started getting me thinking of the times in my life where I had to deal with someone at work or at church or just in social circles that I didn’t really enjoy spending time around for various reasons. It could because that person was a gossip and liked to try and pry information from you so that they could run to the boss and tell them things to try and score points for themselves. (Here’s a tip: If you do that, the person you’re doing it to is going to find out it’s you.) Maybe that person is incredibly rude or obnoxious and says things that are entirely inappropriate for the situation. (Another tip: sometimes jokes and comments ARE rude, obnoxious and inappropriate and it’s not because people need to get a sense of humor.) Maybe it’s the person in church who is always asking for help because they have bills to pay but they won’t get a job. (Third tip: Get a job.) When you have someone like that usually you’re quick to tell them something that will make them leave or you find a way to get yourself out of the situation because you just don’t want to put up with those people. It doesn’t even matter if they’re talking to you for a legitimate reason…you just want to be away from them because of the nature of who they are.
It’s understandable to feel that way and in many cases (like with the gossip) it might be a good idea to get away from them in situations where it’s not important for work or relationships that you are interacting with them. However, the Bible calls for us to actually deal with these people but do it in a way that will steer them from the sin in their life or the bad attitudes that can harm others. I know…not the way we’d deal with it…but then many times the Bible tells us to do things that are counter to the world’s way of thinking!
1 Thessalonians 5:14 (ESV) says “we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” Now, I know the verse only mentions three types of people…the idle, the fainthearted and the weak…but I think the lesson being taught applies to more than just those people. I say that because of 2 Timothy 2:24-26 (ESV) that reads “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.” Obviously things like gossip would fall under the evil category. In being patient, we should correct with gentleness because it opens the door for the Lord to work within that person to possibly come to repentance and a relationship with Him.
We do have a model for all of this right here, right now. No matter where you are as you read these words there is someone who is showing you infinite patience regardless of the ways you’ve messed things up today. Regardless of the things you’ve done that someone else might find so bothersome that they would like to do to you what you’d like to do to the person who popped into your head when you started this blog. 2 Peter 3:9 (ESV) reads “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” The Lord is patient with us. We need to be patient with others.
However, a friendly word of warning from me…don’t pray and ask God to teach you patience unless you REALLY are ready for it. The Lord will teach it to you in His own time but if you ask for it you’re going to get it and it can be a very stressful and trying time in your life. You’ll learn the lesson but BOY will you wish you hadn’t asked for it. You’ll learn patience soon enough…just be patient!
