Romans 12:19 (ESV)   …never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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A pizza delivery man once threw a rock through an upper window of my home. He was angry about not receiving a tip after delivering my order cold, and over an hour late because he had difficulty finding my house.

Have you ever felt the desire to retaliate against others that you perceive to have wronged you?  If you work in a customer-facing job such as retail, restaurant, or other professional services environment you have most likely encountered customers and co-workers that are, shall we say, difficult at best.  Our flesh desires revenge.  We really, really want to get even.  As born-again believers and followers of Jesus Christ we are empowered by His indwelling presence to act as He would act in these situations.  Remember that Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, even the feet of Judas Iscariot.

…let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For … I am among you as the one who serves. – Luke 22:25

When faced with conflict with co-workers or customers we have a choice to give full vent to our flesh response or to allow the Lord’s presence to emerge.  Some steps to follow are:

Silently say a prayer for His peace, love and wisdom.

See the opposing person through His eyes of love for them.

Listen intently to their issue and point of view before speaking.

Acknowledge that you understand what they are saying before presenting another viewpoint.

Don’t add fuel to their fire by reflecting their anger and responding in like manner.

Remain calm.  Let the Lord’s peace put out their fire.

The key to overcoming our natural flesh response is the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit.

God’s presence is not an ‘on-demand’ switch that is flipped when needed.  It only comes through maintaining a personal one-on-one relationship with Jesus.  Our Christian faith is much more than a religion or religious rituals.  Power for living in this difficult world comes through a personal relationship with God.

…do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? – 1 Corinthians 6:19

Begin each day and continue throughout the day in worship and prayer.  This is called our Christian walk.  It is a 24/7 lifestyle relationship vs. a weekend religious ritual.  Rushing out to work without time in His presence is like skipping meals or neglecting to recharge your car or other batteries.  You will run out of ‘power for living’ if you neglect your relationship with God.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. – 1 Thessalonians 5:16

May you walk continually in His abiding presence and enjoy an overcoming life through His peace, power, and strength.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & dedication of your work to the glory of God