EP 39: Dealing With Difficult, Angry, and Hostile People

How do you deal with difficult, angry, and hostile people without losing your peace or your witness? In this episode of The Wooden Cricket Podcast, we explore practical, Spirit-filled ways to respond to those who don’t show grace. With full NLT scripture and some deep reflections, we look at what Jesus calls us to do when others walk in the flesh and how we can walk in the Spirit instead.

Episode Transcript

(00:04):
The Wooden Cricket. Good evening and welcome back to
the Wooden Cricket Podcast. I just got home from my little
camping trip that I was on. It took a lot longer to get home
than I was hoping for, but I'm so glad that I'm going to be
able to get this out today and from this camping trip.

(00:25):
I had a lot of great experiences.
It was a lot of fun, but I was also around some or witnessed
some grumpy people and it reallygot me thinking and helped kind
of inspire someone. Today's podcast.
So today we're going to dive into something that we all face
sooner or later, and that's dealing with people who are
angry or hostile or just plain difficult.

(00:47):
Sometimes they lash out for almost no reason at all or no
reason at all. Sometimes they speak without
grace, and sometimes they just seem to display absolutely 0
patience at all. But here's the thing.
Jesus doesn't call us to match their energy like so many of us
are happy and eager to express, right?

(01:09):
I'm just matching their energy. I'm just coming at them with the
same power that they're coming at me with or whatnot.
You know? Jesus calls us to rise above it,
to respond with the fruits of the Spirit, and to let His
Spirit guide our reactions. That doesn't mean we become
doormats to be trampled all overand it doesn't mean that we

(01:32):
avoid the truth. It means that we walk like Jesus
even when others don't. So let's open the word together.
The NLT version of the Bible. We're going to start in Proverbs
chapter 15, verse one. And it's great.
It's just it's really quick and it says a gentle answer deflects
anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.

(01:57):
We live in a culture where the loudest voice often gets the
most attention. We see that everywhere.
You see that at home, at work, at school, and wherever you may
be. But in God's Kingdom, the
quietest and most gentle answer is the one that truly carries
weight when someone shouts or mocks or tries to get under your

(02:17):
skin. Our flesh wants to fight back
with equal or greater force, butthe Spirit inside us says,
answer softly, not because they deserve it, they certainly do
not, but because it honors God. Jesus himself never lost control
of His words. Even when He rebuked.

(02:39):
He did it so with authority, notrage.
A gentle answer is a shield. It protects your heart from
bitterness and keeps your witness strong.
Second Galatians chapter 5, verse 22 and 23.
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives.

(02:59):
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
There is no law against these things, so when dealing with
hostile people, think of these as your weapons of choice.
Love that refuses to retaliate. Joy that doesn't depend on their

(03:23):
mood. Peace that stays steady when
they're unstable. Patients that holds back from
snapping. Kindness that leaves them
confused because they expected abig fight.
Goodness that refuses to stoop low, faithfulness that keeps you
consistent in Christ's, gentleness that doesn't let

(03:45):
pride win, and self-control thatkeeps your testimony intact.
You don't win spiritual battles by matching other people's
flesh. You win by living out the
Spirit. Matthew chapter 5 verse 43 says
you have heard the law that sayslove your neighbor and hate your

(04:08):
enemy, but I say love your enemies.
Pray for those who persecute you.
Loving an enemy absolutely does not mean pretending that they're
your friend. It means you refuse to let
hatred take root in you. Praying for someone who wrongs

(04:30):
you is spiritual warfare. It shifts your heart from
bitterness to compassion. It hands the situation over to
God. And when you pray for your
enemies, you're no longer letting their actions dictate
your peace. You're saying, Lord, you're in
control of this. Change me.

(04:51):
And if it's in your will change them too.
Romans 12/17 through 21. Never pay back evil with more
evil. Do things in such a way that
everyone can see you are honorable.
Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

(05:11):
Dear friends, never take revenge.
Leave that to the righteous anger of God.
For the scriptures say, I will take revenge.
I will pay them back, says the Lord.
Instead, if your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.

(05:33):
In doing this you will keep or sorry, you will heap burning
coals of shame on their heads. Don't let evil conquer you, but
conquer evil by doing good. This is Paul writing.
Paul's words here are radical, very, very radical for the time,

(05:53):
especially in a world that cheers for payback.
God makes it clear though, revenge is his territory.
When you do good to those who are cruel.
It's not weakness, it's strengththat confuses the darkness.
It's it's refusal to let evil win.

(06:14):
Evil wins when you repay insult for insults.
Good wins when you stand in the Spirit and respond with grace.
Sometimes the most Christlike thing you can do is walk away
with peace in your heart, knowing that God saw it and He's
going to handle it. James chapter one, verse 19.

(06:35):
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters, you must
all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.
Human anger does not produce therighteousness God desires.
Quick listening stops many conflicts before they even

(06:57):
start. Slow speaking gives you time to
filter your words through grace.Slow anger keeps your witness
safe. God's righteousness doesn't come
from our outbursts, it comes from our obedience.
Sometimes the strongest Christian in the room is the one

(07:20):
who keeps their voice calm and their spirit steady when
everyone else is losing it and going bonkers.
Difficult people will always be a part of life.
You're going to find them at work and your family in your
community, even at church. For your calling is not to

(07:40):
change them. Your calling is to follow Jesus
through them. When we stand in Christ, we
realize that someone else's hostility can't steal our peace
unless we let it. We remember that God is the
ultimate judge, the ultimate defender, and the ultimate

(08:04):
avenger. And we choose to live with open
hands, not clenched fists. The world teaches.
Give them what they gave you, Jesus teaches.
Give them what I gave you, mercy, grace, forgiveness,
truth, and love. Let me say that again, I'm

(08:25):
really happy about this, but listen to this.
Good job me. The world teaches.
Give them what they gave you. Jesus teaches, give them what I
gave you, mercy, grace, forgiveness, truth and love.
So the next time someone comes at you in anger, picture Jesus

(08:45):
in that moment. How would he respond?
He wouldn't back down from truth, but he also wouldn't let
anger control him. His standard piece.
Speak and love and trust the Father with the outcome every
time. When you respond like that,
friends, you don't just protect yourself.

(09:08):
You show the entire world what it looks like to walk in the
spirit. And that might just be the thing
that changes their heart. If today's episode spoke to you,
take a moment. Ask the Holy Spirit for help in
the next tough conversation you face.
Let's be people who walk in the Spirit no matter how the world

(09:29):
walks around us. Thank you so much for joining me
on the Wooden Cricket podcast today.
I'm Lawrence. And until next time, stay rooted
in Jesus, Stay filled with his Holy Spirit, and keep your
peace. We'll see you next time.
It's been Lawrence Pierce.