"How To Love Someone You Can't Stand"

Doctor: “I see you’re over a month late for your appointment. Don’t you know that nervous disorders require prompt and regular attention:? What’s your excuse?”
Patient: “I was just following your orders, Doc.”
Doctor: “Following my orders? What are you talking about? I gave you no such order.”
Patient: “You told me to avoid people who irritate me.”

Unfortunately, we don’t always have the option of avoiding people who irritate, people who hurt us, people who offend us. In fact, sometimes those who irritate us the most are found right in our home (or in our church building). So, how should we deal with them?

Milton Jones has written a wonderful book entitled, “How To Love Someone You Can’t Stand,” which I highly recommend. In his book, Jones lists six godly principles which are derived from Romans 12.

• Manage your mouth …. Bless and don’t curse (vs. 14).
• Put yourself in the other person’s place and try to understand their feelings, thought and position (vs. 15).
• Never, never, never take revenge (vs. 17).
• Plan ahead to do something beautiful (vs. 17).
• Don’t just win the war, win the peace (vs. 18).
• Make room for God (vs. 19).

Dear reader, the bottom line, is that we do not overcome evil with evil, by retaliating and seeking to “get even.” The only way to "overcome evil, is with good" (Romans 12:21). It is never easy to respond to those who do us wrong in a way that is godly. A godly response can only be accomplished by following the example of Jesus Christ — only then, can we truly have an influence on the world around us. —Alan Smith

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets