Maybe it’s just me but it seems to me that people are becoming ruder and more conflictive with each other. You see it on talk shows and news programs where people with different opinions personally attack each other. You see it at work, in schools and universities, you see it at the local coffee shop, in the gym and you even see the rudeness and conflicts amongst family members. The problem is that rudeness and conflicts produce stress and stress, especially chronic stress has a negative impact on our lives physically, emotionally and spiritually. And the buildup of stress not only harms us it also harms the people around us.

One of the reasons for the rudeness and the conflicts is that we live in a pluralistic society. We live among people of different nationalities, ethnicities, cultural behaviors, lifestyles and beliefs. These differences in beliefs and behaviors tend to lead people to oppose each other, to disagree and to attack each other. And all of this produces stress in our lives. So how should you deal with people when they become, rude, conflictive and aggressive? How do you keep their behavior from stressing you out?

Let God Defend You

The way to deal rude people and the way to deal with those who personally attack you is not to deal with them at all. What you should do is let God defend you. Yea but, what if they don’t like me, and what if they don’t agree with my beliefs? Let God defend you. But what if they insult me, what if they talk bad about me. Let God defend you. What if they attack me? Let God defend you. Ok, but what if they talk bad about Jesus? Hmm that’s easy, let God defend you.

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. (Psalms 18:2 NLT)

I’m not suggesting that you don’t have the right to present and argue your beliefs. What I am saying is that rudeness and conflicts will eventually stress you out and that’s not good. What I am saying is that as a believer you should never be conflictive and you should never be rude. What you should be is humble and silent when under attack and allow God to defend you.

Psalms 23 NIV

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

It’s simple, in a world full of rude and conflictive people let God be your defender.

Heavenly Father, as hard as it might be, I want to allow you to be my defender. This world really stresses me out, but I want to reflect the character of Jesus, especially in front of those who oppose me. Lord, help me to resist the temptation to try to defend myself all the time.