Understand!

Try to understand why people are the way that they are.

Usually, people who make things hard on you and for you do not have an issue with you as much as they have an issue with themselves.

When a person does not like him or herself in here, you will know about it quickly by what comes out of here! That is exactly what Jesus is saying in Luke 6:43-45, “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."

The best thing that you and I can do when interacting with people like that is to try and put ourselves in their place and understand the pressures that they are under and in turn: give them a break.  In that instance, we are not condoning or excusing their behavior, but instead, we are reacting calmly to their bad fruit.

To all who serve and lead, we must look into other people as well as at them.