Dealing With Difficult People

Walter “Buck” Swords had made Melina Salazar’s job miserable far too often. Swords frequented the Luby’s Cafeteria in Harlingen, Texas, where Salazar worked as a waitress. And while he was one of her most loyal customers, he had also proved to be the most difficult. Rarely was anything quite right for Swords. His food had to meet his strict standards, and when it didn’t (which was nearly always), he would direct his curse-laden tirades at Salazar. But through it all, she would put on a smile and treat him as well as she treated any of her other customers.

This went on for nearly seven years. Then Salazar noticed that Swords suddenly stopped coming into the cafeteria. The reason for his absence became clear in July of 2007, when she saw his obituary in the local paper. Later the same year, shortly before Christmas, Salazar received an unexpected gift. In the distribution of Sword’s estate, it was revealed that the waitress he had so often mistreated had been included in his will. Swords had willed that Salazar receive $50,000.00 and the keys to his 2000 Buick.

“But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good” (Thessalonians 3:13; cf. Galatians 6:9-10). Do you find it difficult to treat those who are being ungodly in a godly way? I don’t know about you but I find it much easier to just to be ugly in return. It is tempting to just ignore or abandon those who mistreat me or disagree with me. I would much rather be nice only to those who are nice to me. But according to Jesus, that makes me no different than any other sinner (Luke 6:33). On the other hand, when I am kind to unkind people, I will share in a heavenly reward because I am acting just like my Heavenly Father (Luke 6:35). Father, it is so tempting to mistreat those who mistreat me. Please help me to be more like You as I interact with difficult people.

God loves you!

Mike