Have you ever had someone who frequently made remarks or did things to hurt you? Where you found yourself resenting that person and feeling sorry for yourself because you had to put up with their cutting remarks. Such things are known as abuse, and can quite ruin one’s day! Where you cried out to God and said “Lord, how can I handle this?” I want to live peacefully with everyone but it’s hard not to answer back. And when I don’t, it sort of lays on me like a rock!” Where it was hard to not to harbor resentment and anger toward this person. But,you knew if you did that, it would rob you of peace and perhaps cause you to respond unkindly.
If this has ever happen to you this passage in Proverbs 15:1 came to my mind: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Then it made me think of Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about how to deal with those who hurt us. Let me encourage you to instead pray for this person and seek God’s help in being especially friendly and thoughtful toward them.
I have found that love is God’s answer to hostility. What? You maybe saying. Me love that unpleasant person who hurts me? Yes!!! The Lord Jesus gave this recipe in Matthew 5:44. First, he told us to love our enemies and bless them. This sure runs against our earthly grain, doesn’t it? But the Lord can help us do that. And here’s how: Jesus also tells us to pray for our enemies.
Pray for others who have hurt you, the Lord will help us realize that something in their background has probably contributed to the way they speak and act. Often they are miserable people. This should give us a feeling of compassion for them and makes it easier to forgive and pray for them.
The Lord also told us to return good for evil. As we do this we will see God at work.
A Safe Harbor is Jesus 