Door Slammed in Your Face?

When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying

“This is how your slave treated me,” Potiphar burned with anger.

Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison,

The place where the king’s prisoners were confined.

Genesis 39:19-20

When was the last time you had a really bad day?  I’m not talking like a bad hair day, but a really lousy day where everything that could go wrong did go wrong?  It has been quite awhile ago for me, thankfully, but I am well acquainted with the growing despair of a day gone completely awry.  What must it be like to have your life suddenly take a long left turn?

When Joseph’s brothers have had it up to their eyeballs with their younger brother, they drop him in a dry desert cistern, determined to leave him there to die.  Plans change when a group of Ishmaelite traders wander by, and suddenly Joseph is forced to walk his way to Egypt as a slave, chained to the back of a camel caravan. In Egypt, he is sold to Potiphar, captain of Pharaoh’s guard.  God blesses his work for the Egyptian official, and soon Joseph is in charge of his entire estate.  Enter Potiphar’s wife, who wanted to play around with her husband’s handsome slave.  When Joseph repeatedly refused, she accused him of attempted rape, and Joseph lands in Pharaoh’s prison.

At that point, I think I would have had a little anger at God about the turn of my life’s circumstances.  Far, far away from those he loves, reduced to slavery and wrongly accused of a heinous crime, it would not surprise anyone for Joseph to languish in prison, eaten up by misery and bitterness.  No, not this lad.  The pampered prince of Canaan had a far greater depth of character than anyone gave him credit for.  He knew that God was with him, pouring our His blessings even in prison, and he had faith that eventually, God would release him back to his family. Joseph knew one thing above all other:  God would never abandon him.

Close every door to me, keep those I love from me,

Children of Israel are never alone.

For we know we shall find our own peace of mind,

For we have been promised a land of our own.

-Andrew Lloyd Webber

Any Dream Will Do?

Now Israel [Jacob] loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him.  When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him, and could not speak a kind word to him.  Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him all the more.

Genesis 37:3-5 [NIV]

Dream (drēm) n. [[ME dream, dreme]]

1 a sequence of sensations, images, thoughts, etc.,

passing through a sleeping person’s mind.

4 a fond hope or aspiration

I rarely dream; or at least, I rarely remember that I have had a dream.  I used to dream a lot as a child – including rather ferocious nightmares, but visions of the night are rare for me now.  On the other hand, I still have lots of dreams – hopes, aspirations – things I would like to do or see or try.

Joseph was the eleventh child of the Patriarch Jacob, the first child from his beloved wife, Rachel.  His first ten children came from his also-ran wife, Leah, her servant maid, and Rachel’s servant maid.  Jacob saw in Joseph the heir to his family and fortune, and spoiled him rotten from the day of his birth.  His older brothers were unappreciative, to say the least.  I think girls can handle that kind of parental slight a little bit better than boys.  The Bible says that the brothers hated Joseph – and with good reason. When little brother Benjamin [second son of Rachel] came along, the dynamic did not change.

The Lord gave Joseph two dreams: the first was a circle of 12 sheaves of grain that each brother had bound in the field.  Joseph’s sheave suddenly stood upright, and the other eleven bowed down to his.  True to his pampered brat position, he made sure his brothers knew his dream.  Then he had another: Joseph was a star, and the other eleven stars [brothers], plus the sun [father Jacob] and moon [Jacob’s wives] bowed down to him.  This time, even Jacob was not amused at his arrogant teenage son.

When Andrew Lloyd Webber wrote the musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the opening number for Joseph’s character is, Any Dream Will Do.  It is a gorgeous piece with (in my mind), a terribly flawed premise:  in Joseph’s life, as well as yours and mine, any dream will not “do.”  Joseph’s God-given dreams of the night predicted his future far down the road.  Our dreams and aspirations often have a direct influence on the life choices that we make – for better or worse.  Placing my dreams and aspirations in God’s hands, praying for His wisdom and guidance, gives my dreams a far better chance of leading me in the right direction. 

New Blinds

Our Father who art in heaven…

Matthew 6:9 [KJV]

My father passed away in February of 2006.  He was 92 years old, had lived a long and fruitful life, and his death was not unexpected – he had been steadily declining for months.  Even under those circumstances, his death still hit me like a ton of bricks, and I miss him every single day.  Dad was someone I could always call and talk to – chattering away about the most mundane things of my day, and he would gladly listen.  His advice was always solid, and his love was strong and constant.

Yesterday, a contractor friend came over to do some work around my house.  One of the jobs was to hang new mini-blinds in my bedroom.  My old ones were the wrong color, light-filtering instead of darkening, and one set had broken slats.  When I was getting ready for bed last night and closed the blinds, I was thrilled that I actually had a completely dark bedroom instead of one half-filled with light from the neighbor’s backyard spotlights. As I lay on my bed grinning like a Cheshire cat, I had the urge to tell someone about my wonderful new blinds.  My friends would think I was nuts, my kids… well, no.  That left my Father.  Not my earthly father, but my Father in heaven.  He, of course, already knew about the blinds, but that didn’t stop me from telling Him all about them.  I knew that He was smiling at my joy, chuckling at my apt descriptions of all my repairs, and delighted when I thanked Him for these blessings.  It was a wonderful way to end my day.   

He Watching Over Israel

I will lift up my eyes to the hills

From whence comes my help.

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

He will not allow your foot to be moved;

He who keeps you will not slumber.

Behold, He who keeps Israel

Neither slumbers nor sleeps.

Psalm 121:1-4 [NKJV]

I have no idea what in my background has caused me to be this way, or if it is just a product of my particular personality, but I deal on a daily basis with fear.  I am afraid of so many things.  Some of them have a reasonable basis, but others are just ridiculous.  They are, however, very real.

For example:  Last year I purchased a house with a beautiful, extensive lawn.  The previous owners were older folk, and for the last few years of their lives, some things had fallen to disarray.  It has been a real joy to work on the landscaping and try to bring it back to its former glory or beyond.  The lawn is not perfect however, because I need to edge by the sidewalks and round the sheds, fences, etc.  I need a weed-eater, right?  Ah yes.  I have had two pass through my hands.  One was a huge gas-powered affair, and I could hardly lift it.  My neighbor is now the proud owner of that one.  I have an electric one in the shed that is missing its cord – a simple thing to buy.  But it sits in my shed and the grass grows in long threads across my sidewalk.  I am, in fact, afraid of weed-eaters. No, no, I have not had a terrible accident with one.  Actually, I’ve never used one.  And therein lies the rub – am I afraid of failure?  Afraid of injury?  Afraid of humiliation if I can’t get it to work right?  Beats me. 

Fear is a terrible emotion – in my mind, it is the most debilitating emotion we have.  Fear can be present day or night – 24/7 – with reason or without reason.  That is why this verse, from Psalm 121 has always been a favorite of mine.  When I am fearful, when I need help, my help comes from the Lord, the Creator – who does not slumber or sleep.  No matter when I am afraid, or under what circumstance, God is there to comfort and guide me.  Perhaps I should talk to Him about that weed-eater…..

Wings of the Dawn

O Lord, you have searched me and known me;

You know when I sit and when I rise.

Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Where can I go from Your presence?

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

If I settle on the far side of the sea -

Even there Your hand will guide me,

Your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, surely darkness will hide me,

And the light become dark all around me -

Not even dark is dark to you,

Night will shine like the day.

And if I rise on the wings of the dawn,

If I settle on the far side of the sea -

Even there Your hand will guide me,

Your right hand will hold me fast.

So I’ll praise You, praise You,

Lift up my voice and I’ll praise You, Lord.

Father, I praise You, praise You,

Praise you, Lord.

You created me within,

You knit me in my mother’s womb.

I praise You for I am fearfully made;

Your works are wonderful.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

If I settle on the far side of the sea -

Even there Your hand will guide me,

Your right hand will hold me fast.

-Wings of the Dawn

A choral anthem based on Psalm 139

Linda A. Spencer

 

Psalm 139 - What Did We Learn?

What Did We Learn This Week?

God Created Me

You are a very special person, because God created you specifically as you are!  God created the entire universe!  He made the light and the dark, the water and the land, the sky, the sun and moon, the stars and planets, all of the trees and flowers, all of the birds and fish, all of the insects and the animals, and every one of us!  God is so wonderful!  Thank you, God!

God Listens to You

There may be lots of people around you who may not really listen to you all the time - but God listens to every word that you tell Him.  More than that, He wants you to tell Him everything about what is happening in your life:  the good and the bad, the happy and the sad.  He listens to you, and He answers you!  Thank you, God! 

God Watches Over You

God knows so many things about us.  He knows your name, He knows how many hairs you have on your head, and He knows where you are and what you are doing.  He watches over you and wants to protect you if you let Him.  God is your Creator, your Savior, and your Protector.  What a great God!  Thank you, God!

God Loves You, No Matter What

This is the best Bible Point of all, as far as I am concerned.  Many times I end up doing wrong things - things that hurt me or other people.  God doesn't like these bad things I do, but He loves me anyway.  Did you get that?  God loves you, NO MATTER WHAT.  There is nothing you can do that will make God stop loving you.  Thank you, God!

God Gives Good Gifts

There are so many things that we take for granted as being "ours" that actually come from the hand of God.  Our families, our good health, our talents, our creative abilities, the beautiful world we live in - all of these things are gifts from a wonderful God.  Thank you, God!

See You Next Year at Vacation Bible School! 

VBS Day 5: God Gives Good Gifts

You place Your hand of blessing on my head.

Psalm 139:5

God Gives Good Gifts

Back in Old Testament times, there was a woman named Hannah who really wanted a baby. She prayed and prayed to God, asking Him for a son.  One day she was at the temple and she was praying silently for a child.  The High Priest, Eli, saw her and asked her why she was so sad.  When she told him what was wrong, he promised her that God would give her a son.  And He did!  She had a little boy named Samuel, who grew up and became a prophet of God.  Samuel's name means, "God heard."  We know that God Listens to Us, and now we know that God Gives Good Gifts!

Hannah was so grateful to God that she gave Samuel back to Him when he was still a little boy.  She took him to live and work with Eli in the Temple.

See a video about Lulu:

 

VBS Day 4: God Loves You No Matter What!

Lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Psalm 139:24

God loves you, no matter what!!

Jesus came to this earth as a little baby, grew up in Nazareth, left home and gathered together twelve men to work with him, proclaiming the Gospel of God's love.  After three and a half years, He was arrested, tried, convicted. He was taken to Calvary, forced to carry His own cross [the cross beam of the cross probably weighed 30-40 pounds!] down a street called the Via Dolorosa.  He was crucified on the cross, forgave the two thieves who were crucified beside Him, and forgave the soldiers who pounded in the nails.  He was buried in a cave on Friday evening, probably embalmed with myrrh - one of the gifts the magi brought Him as a baby.  On Sunday morning, He rose from the grave, visited His disciples, and is alive today - Your Savior and Redeemer.    

God is very sad when we do bad things - but He still loves us.  He is hoping that you will ask Him to forgive you when you do something wrong.  He LOVES to do that!  But He will not stop loving you at any time.

Bible Question #1

What gift given to baby Jesus by the magi was
  also probably used on His body after His death?

Super Bible Question:

Who did Jesus forgive when He was hanging on the cross?

Watch a video about POGO!

VBS Day 3: God Watches Over You

Even in the darkness I cannot hide from You.
Psalm 139:12

God Watches Over You!

It is Day 3 of  PandaMania VBS, and today we learned from Boomer, a Giant Panda, that GOD WATCHES OVER YOU!  [Thank You, God!].  God loves you very much, and He watches over you wherever you are!  Isn't that wonderful?

Our story today was about Jonah - one of God's preachers.  God asked him to go and talk to the people of Ninevah, and Jonah decided he didn't want to.  He had been told by another preacher that the people of Ninevah were really bad!  They:  lied, cheated, practiced witchcraft, murdered people, and worshiped idols.  So Jonah ran away!!!  He went on a ship, got tossed overboard, and was swallowed by a Big Fish!  Some people say he was swallowed by a whale, but the Bible only says that it was a BIG FISH!  He was inside the fish for 3 days - it must have been really cold, really wet, and really smelly!

 

Jonah looks really miserable, doesn't he?  But God was watching over him, and after 3 days, the fish coughed him up on dry land.  Right away, Jonah decided to go to Ninevah!  Good for Jonah!  The city was very big.  It had over 120,000 people in it, and it took Jonah 3 days to talk to all the people.  But all the people decided to listen to Jonah, and they were sorry for their bad ways and promised to do better.

Bible Question #1:

What kind of fish was it that the Bible says swallowed Jonah?

Bible Super Question:

What city was Jonah supposed to go to, how many people did it have, and how long did it take Jonah to talk with all of them?

Watch a video about Boomer!

VBS Day 2: God Listens to You

You know what I'm going to say even before I say it, Lord.

Psalm 139:4

This is AMANDA, the RED PANDA, our Bible buddy for Tuesday, and she wants you to know that:

God Listens to Us!

[Thank You, God!]

Elijah was God's prophet during a very dangerous time in Israel.  God sent Elijah to King Ahab and Queen Jezebel to say that there would be no rain until Elijah, God's Messenger, said so.  King Ahab worshiped a god called Baal.  He was the god of rain and storms.  Elijah challenged the king and the people to a contest.  Each would build an altar, then they would pray for fire to consume a sacrifice on the altar.  The prophets of Baal called and called and prayed and prayed to their god, but he didn't answer.  They prayed ALL MORNING and ALL AFTERNOON.  NO ANSWER!  Finally, it was Elijah's turn.  He dug a ditch around his altar, and poured sea water over the altar until the ditch was full.  He prayed a very simple prayer to God, and fire came down from heaven, and burned EVERYTHING!  It burned the sacrifice, the wood, the stones of the altar, the water, and even part of the dirt!

God listened to Elijah, and God answered!

Bible Question #1:

What was the name of King Ahab's god?

Bible Super Question:

What 5 things did God's fire burn up?   

 

Watch a Video about our Bible Buddy, Amanda:

VBS Day 1: God Made You

Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex.

Psalm 139:14

Today at PandaMania VBS, we learned that GOD MADE US!!  God created everything in the universe, calling it all into existence by speaking.  This was the order:

• Day 1 - God separated the light from the darkness
• Day 2 - Separated the waters from the heavens
• Day 3 - Created dry land, grass, trees, flowers
• Day 4 - Created the sun, moon and stars
• Day 5 - Created the birds for the heavens and the fish for the waters
• Day 6 - Created the animals, the insects, and Adam and Eve
• Day 7 - God was finished so He rested.

 

 

Bible Question for tomorrow:

What day did God create the snow leopards? 

Watch the Video About FEZ:

VBS Offering for 2011

PandaMania

Where God is Wild About YOU!

Our Vacation Bible School Offering this year is going to the Chesterfield County Animal Shelter and the Chesterfield County Humane Society.  CC Humane Society works in conjunction with the animal shelter to keep animals from losing their lives.  We want to help our animal friends this week as we learn all about God's creation.  This is the way that YOU can help your animal friends.

Tuesday:                    Bring  PENNIES
Wednesday:              Bring NICKELS
Thursday:                  Bring DIMES
Friday:                        Bring QUARTERS

If you would like to help the animals in other ways, the following are things that you can bring for the shelter:

Towels and blankets         
Meat Food Dishes              
Leashes

Collars                          
Heating Pads                
Grooming Tools

Dog Biscuits                 
Pet Hair Brushes              
Tennis Balls

Canned or dry Puppy and Dog food     
Dog Shampoo

Canned or dry Kitten or Cat food          
Cat Shampoo

Litter Pans            
Scoopable Cat Litter     

Thank you for helping us bring some joy to the lost cats and dogs here in Chesterfield County!

PandaMania Vacation Bible School 2011

Welcome to PandaMania VBS Review!

Beulah United Methodist Church 

This is the place to come to learn all about the characters in PandaMania, and to read about the Bible story for the day.  There will also be a special question asked that could earn you a prize at VBS the next day if you know the right answer!

Check back every afternoon after you get home from VBS, and see what the character of the day really looks like in real life!  

Happy Vacation Bible School week at PandaMania!!

Bright Eyes

The lamp of the body is the eye.   

If your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light.   

But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness.   

If all the light you have is darkness, it is dark indeed!

Matthew 6:22-23

There is a saying that “the eye is the window of the soul,” and that certainly was true of my mother.  She was unable to keep her opinions, feelings, etc., from flashing through her eyes.  When I reached my teenage years, her eyes were always filled with disappointment and disapproval when she looked at me.  I quickly got to the place where I never looked her in the eye – a habit that fanned out to include anyone I came in contact with.  If I didn’t look her in the eye, I could pretend I didn’t know what was broadcast there.

Fast forward to 2004.  I arrived in Phoenix early for my visit with the folks, and a taxi dropped me off at the house while my father was still puttering around in the shop.  My knock at the kitchen door brought a quick response, but I was completely unprepared for what I saw when the door opened.  There stood a tiny, waif-like creature clutching a baby doll, staring at me in wide-eyed wonder.  Because I was so shocked, I didn’t rely on my normal “talking to the floor” response, and stared steadily at the face of my mother.  I didn’t need an interpreter to realize what had happened.  Mom was obviously in an advanced stage of dementia and had no idea who I was.  Her eyes held the faintest glimmer of light, but it was clear that there was nobody home.

Jesus said that the eye was the lamp of the body – providing light to the soul, and shining light out into the world.  If there is no light coming in, the body is full of darkness.  If the soul is dark, the eye has no light to illuminate the world.  If we look at the people around us with a harsh and critical eye, then that which we pass to them will be darkness.  If we ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with the love of God, the light of our eyes will pass that love to everyone around us.  May we truly be a people of shining eyes. 

Where is Your Treasure?

Don’t pile up treasures of earth, where moth and rust can spoil them and thieves can break in and steal.  But keep your treasure in Heaven where there is neither moth nor rust to spoil it, and nobody can break in and steal.  For wherever your treasure is, your heart will be there too!

Matthew 16:19-20

I was mowing my back yard last evening when I noticed a young man – maybe 24 years old, ambling down the street smoking a cigarette and talking on a cell phone.  A few moments later, he was back from another direction, and was walking toward my neighbor’s fence, where the gate was standing ajar.  The young man stepped into the back yard and looked around, then shut the gate securely.  At this point, I expected him to walk away.  But he went up to the front door and rang the doorbell.  There were no cars in the driveway, and his ringing inquiry brought no result.  After a few more glances around the property, he walked away.

A short time later, the young man was back, still talking on his cell phone.  He walked up to the mailbox of the house, blocking the view from the street as to what he was doing, and appeared from the back to be examining something – presumably the mail.  A couple of furtive glances around finally caused me to think, “Ok – I don’t think you are up to anything good.”  I slipped in the house for my cell phone, and called the police.  If the young man was contemplating either stealing the mail or breaking into the house, at least someone would have reported suspicious behavior in the neighborhood.

If your life is tied up in your prized possessions and your monetary worth, it is a universal truth that all of it can be gone in a second.  If someone really wants to take your stuff, they will find a way to accomplished it.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with having lovely things and being well-off financially.  What is at issue is whether you own it, or it owns you.

When a good, wealthy young man came to Jesus to ask what he should do to gain eternal life, He told him to give up all his stuff and to come with Him as a disciple.  That encounter produced two sorrowful people:  the young man, because he could not give up the things that he had; and Jesus, who grieved for the man's choice because He “loved him.”  There is nothing on this earth—possessions, wealth, fame or power—which should separate us from wholeheartedly following the Savior.  He owns everything anyway. We are simply stewards of His great riches.

Forgive to be Forgiven

For if you forgive other people their failures,

 your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

But if you will not forgive other people,

neither will your Father forgive you your failures.

Matthew 6:14-15 [Phillips]

Failure: i.e., wrong, sin, transgression, omission, the act of failing.  It is curious that Phillips uses the word “failure” here.  The NIV uses “sin,” the Revised English Bible says “wrongs,”  and the King James uses “trespasses.”  The NIV, REB and KJV all use words that indicate a wrong act.  Phillips’ use of the word “failure” seems to indicate a breakdown in the core system.

Much of the time, giving forgiveness – real forgiveness – is not an easy task.  Someone has wronged you – hurt you deeply, and they come to you with a sincere apology.  It will take a bit of time and a lot of talking, but eventually the odds are good that you will truly forgive them.  Take the same scenario, however, and change one thing – no apology.  Not only no apology, no remorse and, in some cases, a smug idea that they have nothing to apologize for.  Forgiving in that case is very difficult indeed.  When we have been wronged/humiliated/rebuffed in public, we have a strong, natural need to be vindicated – to prove that we are innocent and the other party is guilty.

Unfortunately, there are times when admission of guilt or responsibility for the actions just doesn’t happen.  Does that mean that we are released from the need to forgive?  No, we are not.  In a case like that, it is even more important for us to forgive, so that anger and loathing do not eat us from the inside out.  And that’s why I like the word “failures.”  If the person who has wronged me has had a breakdown at their moral core – a failure that was directed, unfortunately, on me – it gives me a new perspective on the one who has committed the wrong.  A breakdown of who they are elicits concern for them as a child of God, and allows me to pray for them, exploring with God my anger with them, and releasing it to Him. Sometimes that is a very long process, but the end results are worth every effort that you make.

Our Father...

When you pray, don’t rattle off long prayers like the pagans who think they will be heard because they used so many words.  Don’t be like them.  For your Father knows your needs before you ask Him.

Pray then like this –

Our Heavenly Father, may Your name be honoured;

May You kingdom come,

And Your will be cone on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us each day the bread we need for the day.

Forgive us what we owe to you,

As we have also forgiven those who owe anything to us.

Keep us clear of temptation, and save us from evil.

Matthew 6:7-13

Small children can have a very difficult time sitting through a worship service.  Staying quiet for that long is an educational process – the sooner started, the better learned.  I was a typical child, fidgeting and restless at the imposed silence.  If there was a children’s message, that at least gave me a moment to get up and walk, listen to a story, and take the short walk back.  If the storyteller was really good, that time in the service made my day.  The most difficult portion of the service, however, was the Pastoral Prayer.

If our pastor gave the prayer, the ordeal would be over in five minutes or less.  If it was one of the elders praying – watch out!  A mini-sermon would be offered for sure.  The same would happen if there was a guest speaker, and our minister felt the need to get his ten minutes in regardless.  Prayer time seemed to be a competition, not a contemplation.  It was all a little much for a small girl who couldn’t sit still in the first place.

God does not need lots and lots of words.  He already knows all about it, for Pete’s sake.  What He is looking for, according to Matthew, is honest sincerity.  He doesn’t want platitudes, he’s doesn’t need flowery words or pat Christian phrases – He has probably heard enough of “bless the missionaries and the children,” to last a long, long time.  Instead, what about Susie down the block who hasn’t been very nice lately.  How about that scruffy teenager that always seems to be lurking around, obviously up to no good.  What about the co-worker who steals your ideas and the candy out of your drawer?  Talk to God about them – your complaints, your feelings, their failures.  He wants to hear every word that is spoken from an open heart.  Then listen while He answers. 

Hate Your Enemy?

You’re familiar with the old law, “Love your friend,” and its unwritten companion, “Hate your enemy.”  I’m challenging that.  I’m telling you to love your enemies.  Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst.  When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves.  This is what God does.  He gives His best – the sun to warm and the rain to nourish – to everyone, regardless, the good and bad, the nice and nasty.  If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus?  Anybody can do that.  If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal?  Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.  Live generously and graciously toward others, 

the way God lives toward you.

Matthew 5:43-48

One of my daughters teaches at the same university from which she graduated.  She was quite immature and aggressively vocal during her freshman year there, and she made her fair share of “non-admirers!”  Two people in particular have been problematic, not willing to recognize that a lot of growing up happens over a period of eight years.  They have been, quite literally, her enemies, and to add to the irony, they are now her “superiors” for her job.  She has responded by being as polite and cordial as possible, dealing respectfully when necessary, and otherwise staying out of their way. 

“Well,” you might say, “she seems to be handling the situation very well.”  Yes, I think she is, and I am very proud of her maturity in holding her tongue and realizing that we all have to deal with people who are not exactly our fans.   But this advice from Jesus gives a “secret weapon” - an added bonus for those of us who have to deal with difficult people.  “When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer...”

It is very hard to be nasty to someone if you are consistently, daily praying for them. Talking to God about an individual reminds you that they are also a child of the King.  The thought of doing so may be the greatest hurdle you have to overcome, but once you begin an active conversation with God regarding your adversary, you will find that your feelings will slowly change toward that individual.  Prayer also has the added advantage of possible changes in their life.  Obviously God cannot whack them up the side of the head and say, “Hey, get with the program!”  But He will constantly draw them, love them, and cover them with His compassion and grace.  Some of that just might flow to you from them.