What do you do when people treat you bad? They gossip about you, lie about you, or stab you in the back. What about people who you just don’t like? They seem mean spirited, like they’re always mad at you or just don’t seem to like you. What about the people YOU simply don’t like? The ones that just rub you the wrong way?

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Mt. 5:44

Wow. Love them? Pray for them? God’s directions usually aren’t what we expect! Our plan might be to confront them, tell them how we feel, ask them why they’re treating us this way, or ignore them altogether. The Lord Jesus Christ tells us to pray for them.

Try this: Think of the people you usually talk bad about. Spend a minute right now praying for them. Pray that God will work in their lives. Pray that they’ll get closer to Christ and love him more. Pray that God will bless them.

It’s not our “natural” response or reaction, but when we follow through with it, it never fails.