How to Deal with Jerks

I recently wrote about my experience at the worst JERK - with a capital "J" - doctor's office experience ever in the history of humankind (I sometimes exaggerate). I'll do both of us a favor and not repeat the story as you can read it in yesterday's blog.

However, that experience got me thinking about how Christ-followers should deal with jerks. You know you're going to run into a Jerk at some point so how's a Christ-follower supposed to handle those situations?

So here's my take on the things to keep in mind when confronting Jerks.

First, a Jerk will be a Jerk, but that doesn't mean you have to be one too, because acting like a Jerk will make you a Jerk.

There's no doubt about it, the guy royally ticked me off. I haven't been that angry in a long, long time. His actions and behavior was so unprofessional. It was inexcusable.

And because of that interchange, I found myself driving like a maniac, ticked off and thinking about what just occurred, ready to bite the head off the next person I come across, etc. And you know what? I was allowing the Jerk to continue bothering me!!! and he wasn't even there anymore.

And had I continued behaving in that manner, I would have been a Jerk myself to the people I was meeting and seeing for the rest of the day. That just wouldn't do.

A Jerk will be a Jerk, but that doesn't mean you have to be one too, because acting like a Jerk will make you a Jerk.

So, this brings us to the second point: Don't let a Jerk ruin the rest of your day because if you do, you'll not only be a Jerk but a Dork for letting a Jerk jerk you around.

He already ruined a portion of your day. Don't give the Jerk more power by letting him ruin the rest of your day. Move on already. There's too much life to be living to allow a Jerk to ruin the rest of your day.

One of the most powerful thing you can do when encountering Jerks is to not let them control the rest of your day. Move on. Get over it. Better yet, start living life as if the Jerk encounter never occurred.

Don't let a Jerk ruin the rest of your day because if you do, you'll not only be a Jerk but a Dork for letting a Jerk jerk you around.

Finally, pray for Jerks.

Who knows. Maybe the guy was having a terrible day. After you're ready to move on with your day, pray for him because we've all had days when we were a royal Jerk. Very few people are Jerks 24/7.

Here's to praying that you have a Jerk free day, but if you do encounter one, I hope you remember:
1) Just because a Jerk is a Jerk, doesn't mean you have to be a Jerk too.
2) Don't let a Jerk ruin the rest of your day because if you do, you'll not only be a Jerk but a Dork for letting a Jerk jerk you around.
3) Pray for Jerks - because, if truth be told no one is a Jerk 24/7 and we've all been a Jerk.