Other people can be so incredibly annoying, can’t they? You’re planning on having a day of peace and joy, of honouring God, and then … boom. Some idiot comes along to ruin it all.

It’s happened to all of us, and it’s going to happen again. Those difficult people are out there in droves and they want to rob us of the good and godly day that we’re planning on having.

I saw something funny on social media the other day: My problem is that I want to follow Jesus and slap people too.

Yes, it’s funny – but it also hits the mark. It speaks of the dilemma we all face. Sure, we want to follow Jesus. Absolutely, we want to honour Him. But man … those difficult people make it so incredibly tough.

So, what’s the answer? How do we reconcile our desire to follow Jesus and to slap the difficult people in our lives?

Ephesians 4:2,3 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient and accept each other with love. You are joined together with peace through the Spirit. Do all you can to continue as you are, letting peace hold you together.

The answer is to approach each day with a humble and gentle attitude. That may come naturally to you, but it doesn’t to me. So it’s something I pray about often. And God answers that prayer by breathing His Spirit of patience and acceptance into my heart and yours.

And that sense of God’s peace has a calming effect on you. How do you reconcile your desire to follow Jesus and to slap people?

Invite Him into that place, to help you always to be humble and gentle.

That’s God’s Word.