Please dont go

Here is a word from a free daily devotional i receive that really spoke to me and i believe is a word in season for others.'Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.' LUKE 6:28How does God want us to treat the fault-finders in our lives? Those who, when they do not win, act 'hurt' and blame others for everything that has gone wrong. Know anybody like that? The bible says, 'speaking the truth in love...grow up...into...Christ'(Eph.4:15). Here are some pointers to help you:a) never confront with power, only with love! Recognise that the outward bravado of the fault-finder usually disguises deep insecurity; it lets them shift of their own fears and onto the faults of othersb) move towards, not away from. Our first inclination is to ignore or isolate difficult people. Do not! Difficult people often want to be ignored, so avoiding them just provides emotional distance for them to hide. Plus it confirms their belief that you do not care, that you will not listen because you think they are wrong and you are rightc) engae relationally. Show genuine interest in their family, their work and their well being. Fault-finders usually struggle with giving and recieving love. They are inclined to elevate opinion and loyalty, above communication and reconciliation. Nowhere is this more evident than in their personal lives. So be prepared to empathise with the trail of broken relationships you are likely to find.d) Bless and affirm. Mark Twain said, 'Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.' Fault-finders generally get more kicks than kisses. So, 'Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.' Avoiding them does not work; neither does arguing. But 'love never fails.'

Thanks for sharing, Geraldine, Yes it is so true. Those whom in the flesh we desire to distance ourselves from are the very ones that need us the most. My wife and I have recently become co-managers of a retirement home. We have almost 100 wonderful residents for the most part. The part that's not the most part are the distant and caustic. We may overlook speaking to one of the sweetys, but we try not to miss greeting one of the crabby ones, even if we have to go our of our way. Life is full of contrasts. What brings God more glory than to have an angry, crabby old heart changed into His image and likeness. I often tell young christians that if they really want to see God moving, find the most unlovable person in the their class and begin to pray for them and to treat them kindly, for the glory of God. It is amazing what happens. When an unsaved person comes in contact with a saved person who follows the Spirit of the Lord, it's similar to when they see the cross. They are either repelled further away, or drawn too. But they cannot stay where they are. Even if all you do is pray for them. Saints, we can fellowship with the Father. What is His joy but to bring glory to His Son? He delights in that kind of prayer, and His grace is more than sufficient for any crabbyness anyone may have. Finally, use a short measure to measure others. God's mercy will abound toward us only as our mercy abounds towards others. To God be the glory, now and forever amen.