Ready:
“Lord, how my foes increase! There are many who attack me. Many say about me, ‘There is no help for him in God.’ But you, Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.” – Psalm 3:1-3
Set:
What do you do when you have a teammate who consistently pushes your buttons? As a coach, how do you respond to an athlete’s parent who creates extra stress because of what they say or do? What about that person who always seems to be critical of how you play or coach?
All of us encounter difficult people in the context of our sport and in life. King David, the author of Psalm 3, certainly did. Psalm 3 includes this title: “A psalm of David when he fled from his son Absalom.” In 2 Samuel 15, Absalom rebels against his father, assembles an army, and attempts to overthrow King David so he can take the throne himself. It’s no wonder David cries out to the Lord about the many foes who are attacking him!
When dealing with difficult people, how do we respond in ways that honor God? Like David does in v. 3, we start by refocusing on the Lord rather than allowing these people to dominate our thoughts. When our faith is in Christ, we are secure in Him as our shield no matter what others say and do. The Lord is our glory. We desire to exalt Him even when we are treated unfairly. We trust Him as “the one who lifts up [our] head,” giving comfort and encouragement amid the stress or pain of our situation.
As we refocus on the Lord, we’re reminded that the salvation and life we have through Christ transforms the way we respond to difficult people. In Matthew 5:44-45, Jesus says, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” When we love that antagonistic teammate, troublesome parent, or critical person as our Heavenly Father loves us, we put the Gospel on display. Rather than relating to them according to how they treat us, we pray that they, too, would be transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ.
Go:
If you’re currently dealing with a difficult person, how can you refocus on the Lord rather than letting that person dominate your thinking?
What steps can you take to love and pray for difficult people you’re encountering?
Workout:
Overtime:
“Lord, I praise You because You are a shield around me, my glory, and the One who lifts up my head. Help me to honor You through loving difficult people with Your love. I pray that I would point them to You through the way I respond to what they say and do. Amen.”