Wrestling with Alligators This Christmas

How many of you ate too much over the last couple of weeks beginning with our potluck? How many of you watched too much football? (can’t watch too much football) How many of you had to put up with some difficult people? If you said yes to any of those, you are in the right place.

I have always been fascinated by alligators. Once in Florida, I watched an alligator wrestler wrestle an alligator. I always wanted to be like Tarzan, who would wrestle alligators or Crocs and win. The las time we went to Restaurant Des Families, they had three Alligators out there and I have to tell you… I was not tempted to go out there and wrestle one of them.

A tourist saw a man with an alligator tooth on a necklace around his neck. In some places, they will open an oyster and get a pearl. This man, wrestled an alligator and got that tooth. Anyone here willing to try that?

I would think that there are very few people who can or will wrestle an alligator and snag a tooth from him.

But, the truth is, in a way, we are all wrestling gators of some sort all the time. Now when I say that, I mean that we deal with difficult people every where and all the time, but it’s even worse during the holidays. I know I talked about this a few weeks ago, but we need to learn this. The problem with difficult people is that they are difficult.

So as we prepare for Christmas, which should be a joyful time of year, I want you to be prepared for the attacks from the enemy, (Satan), who will attack your relationships.

Here is what I have found in my life. We will deal with difficult…

Traffic - there are 2 kinds of drivers in NO… the quick or the dead.

Finances - money has been tight this year, but it’s worse during the holidays because too many of us spend more than we should.

Shoppers - Any Black Friday shoppers here? I had an encounter with a women at a store in Boston that told me if I wasn’t going to purchase what I was looking at… to get out of her way. At a Walmart one time, 2 people were arguing over one of the specially priced items and one pepper sprayed the other… Don’t get any ideas.

Church - This ought not to be but it happens because the church is filled with people.

Emotions - While the holidays are joyful and fun for most, for many, it’s a time filled with grief, sadness, tragedy and loss.

How many of us here have had to deal with difficult people? (raise hands)

Difficult people are a lot like Alligators… They bite for one thing. They don’t care if they hurt you. They usually have thick skin so your zingers don’t hurt them. They have 42 teeth on top and 42 on the bottom.

Difficult people consist of the hostile people, the chronic complainers, the super agreeable, the know it alls, the pessimists and the lazy.

Difficult people might be that relative that tells you what to do in YOUR kitchen… or how to make your favorite recipe.

Difficult people … might be you or me.

Maybe you can think of some other types of difficult people. They are all around us, but especially during the Holiday Season. If you don’t have any difficult people in your life… you are the difficult person in someone elses life.

Look at your neighbor and say I am so glad you came to church today. Look at the other one and say, You needed to be in church today.

Let’s look at our text…

Colossians 3:12–17 NLT

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. 16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

Paul is telling us that we are to be merciful, kind, gentle, patient and forgiving with difficult people. But it’s a challenge that we need the power of the Lord ot help us to do. It’s also a test of whether we are growing in the Lord. Listen, the Lord’s presence in each of our lives better change us… better grow us and cause us to behave differently than we would have before we met Jesus.

Anybody with me saying that it’s a challenge to be merciful, kind, humble, gentle, patient and forgiving? The challenge is to meet each opportunity with the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives so that we think, act and speak in loving ways.

So let’s et ready to Rassle doze Gators dis Christmas.

1. Wrestling Gators this Christmas requires being prepared in advance.

Colossians 3:12 NLT

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

That phrase “clothe yourselves” means to prepare for something ahead of time. The alligator wrestler I met in FLA told me that you have to study the gator so that you know which way he rolls when he bites because you have to roll with him so that he doesn’t rip off your arm.

Picture that you have guests coming over to your house. You need extra time preparing your hose for them. In the same way you need extra time to get your house ready, you need to spend time preparing for difficult people.

How about clothing? Has anyone ever been un-prepared clothing wise? Maybe for cold weather? You might only do that once before you learn to check the weather app.

More than once, Kathy has said, you’re not going out dressed like that are you? Anybody with me?

Now, if you don’t prepare for difficult people ahead of time, what’s going to happen? You will lose it… outburst of anger… you will be critical… You will hurt people… You might be sarcastic… You will embarrass yourself. me at the volley ball game…

Tell your neighbor, Get prepared! The Boy scout motto used to be, Be Prepared.

How can we prepare in advance?

Look at James 1:19

James 1:19 NLT

19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

We are to be quick to listen.

We have 2 ears and one mouth for a reason…

We are to be slow to speak.

1 mouth… a gator is pretty much harmless if his mouth is closed.

We are to be slower to get angry.

Unfortunately, most people do the opposite. We are slow to listen, quick to speak and even quicker to lose it.

How many of you find it hard to be a good listener? Men have selective hearing.

How many find it difficult to be slow to speak? I don’t know about you, but I would be better off if I were.

Mark Twain said,

Better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.

Check this out…

Proverbs 17:28 NLT

28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

How many of us find it difficult to be slow to get angry? The bible says that there is more hope for a fool than for someone who loses their temper…

So, in order to overcome difficult people we have eto be willing to prepare in advance. We have to ask the Lord to help us become better listeners, slower speakers, and overcome our anger and frustration with others before we get together with others.

2. Wrestling Gators requires forgiving those who offend.

Colossians 3:13 NLT

13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.

The important phrase here is Make allowance for each others faults.

This is important because the reality is that difficult people are often difficult because we easily find fault with them and those faults easily offend us.

Does anyone have a relative that knows just what to say to make you crazy?

The important thing for us to remember is that we have as many faults as the person we are finding fault with.

According to Jesus, the fault we see in the other person that drives us crazy, is really something inside of us that drives us crazy.

Matthew 7:3–5 NLT

3 “And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.

As Christians, How are we supposed to deal with offenses? We are to forgive them. Why should we forgive them? Because that’s Jesus’ way of dealing with offense.

Sin is an offense to God, but instead of being bitter and angry, He responded with love and forgiveness. That’s our example and how we are to act. How many are glad you have been forgiven by the Lord?

What happens if we don’t forgive? We develop walls and it gives the devil a stronghold in our lives.

A stronghold is what gives the devil room to work in your life, and you do not want that to happen. Also Jesus said that if we are unwilling to forgive others, he is unwilling to forgive us. How many here need and want God’s forgiveness? Then we had better be willing to forgive others.

Mark 11:25–26 “But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too.””

In order to overcome difficult people we have to be willing to forgive them and not fight them. God does wonderful things in our lives when we practice forgiving others.

Woman who would not forgive her husband and went blind…

3. Wrestling Gators this Christmas requires loving above everything else.

Colossians 3:14 NLT

14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Some people are easy to love and some not so easy. Who are the easy people to love in your life? (friend, spouse, little baby). Who are the hard to love people in your life?

Here is what Jesus says to do.

Luke 6:27–32 NLT

27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. 28 Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. 30 Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. 31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you. 32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them!

We have all heard about the Golden Rule. Did you realize that he context of the Golden Rule was loving those who are difficult to love?

The way you practice the Golden Rule is by treating them the way you wish to be treated, showing compassion for them and realizing that love is what will motivate them to change.

Romans 2:1–4 NLT

1 You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

It’s kindness that turns people from their sin. So to overcome difficult people, you have to love them and treat them kindly because kindness is what causes them to change.

4. Wrestling Gators this Christmas requires making peace with others.

Colossians 3:15 NLT

15 And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

How many of you want some peace in your life? Peace with God… peace with co-workers… neighbors… family members… family…

The opposite of peace is drama. Some people are peace makers and some people are drama creators. (drama queens) The question is, which one will you be?

If you were wrestling a gator, that would be a lot of drama, and if you made him mad, the drama increases.

Difficult people often have all sorts of drama going in in their lives . Instead of stirring up drama with difficult people, you should pay attention to the Apostle James in James 3:17-18

James 3:17–18 NLT

17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. 18 And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

In order to overcome difficult people we have to be willing to make peace instead of creating drama.

How do we do that?

By showing people mercy, kindness, gentleness, humility, patience and being prepared when we encounter them… forgiving them and asking them for forgiveness… showing love.

5. Wrestling gators this Christmas also requires sharing the message of Jesus.

Colossians 3:16 NLT

16 Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Even when we are around difficult people, we have to continue to share the message of Jesus Christ to them.

Have you ever thought about why difficult people are so miserable? Because they have not encountered the transforming power of Jesus.

Romans 10:10–15 NLT

10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” 12 Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. 13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”

In order to overcome difficult people we have to be willing to help them build their relationship with Jesus.

6. Wrestling with Gators this Christmas also requires representing Jesus.

Colossians 3:17 NLT

17 And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

We have to make sure that we are representing Jesus wherever we go. (Mall… in traffic… at home with family… at church)

Your testimony, a Christian testimony is the most underrated thing there is. It has power because no one can argue with what God is doing in your life.

Your testimony is powerful.

The Bible says that we overcome the devil by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Rev 12:11

Revelation 12:11 NLT

11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.

One reason why so many people struggle in their personal lives, with their families and with dealing with difficult people is because they have blown their testimony in front of others who are close to them. Has anyone other than me done this?

But just because it’s difficult to deal with does not give us permission to misrepresent Jesus. Before we say anything… make a remark… before we respond to someone who is being ugly and difficult, we have to remember that we represent the Lord Jesus. Many times when we are driving somewhere and someone cuts me off going slower than me, I want to give them a mean look and Kathy will go… ok Pastor Robert… We have to remember who we represent.

Although he was Hindu, Gandhi had a close relationship to Christianity and even admired Jesus often quoting from His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7. When missionary E. Stanley Jones met with Ghandi and asked him, “Mr. Gandhi, though you quote the words of Christ often, why is it that you appear to so adamantly reject becoming his follower? Gandhi replied, “Oh I don’t reject Christ. It’s just that so many of you Christians are so unlike Christ. If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today.”

So I believe that in this holiday Season we need to make sure that whatever we say or do, we say it and do it as a representative of Jesus.

Some of you are thinking, “I can’t be like that… I can’t be that strong in the Lord that I can be prepared… forgive… make peace… share the message of Christ… and represent the Lord.

You are right… you can’t. You can’t be that way especially when you are around difficult people… you can’t do that in your own power and ability. But you can be that way when you are living daily in the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Colossians 3:11 NLT

11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

Corrie Ten Boon story - The barracks where Corrie ten Boom and her sister Betsy were kept in the Nazi concentration camp Ravensbruck were terribly overcrowded and flea-infested. They had been able to miraculously smuggle a Bible into the camp, and in that Bible they had read that in all things there were to give thanks, and that God can use anything for good. Corrie’s sister Betsy decided that this meant thanking God for the fleas. This was too much for Corrie, who said she could do no such thing. Betsy insisted, so Corrie gave in and prayed to God, thanking Him even for the fleas. Over the next several months a wonderful, but curious, thing happened. They found that the guards never entered their barracks. This meant that the women were not assaulted. It also meant that they were able to do the unthinkable, which was to hold open Bible studies and prayer meetings in the heart of a Nazi concentration camp. Through this, countless numbers of women came to faith in Christ. Only at the end did they discover why the guards had left them alone and would not enter into their barracks. It was because of the fleas.

This holiday season, give thanks to God for every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), but also thank Him for how He will use all things for the good of those who trust Him (Romans 8:28)/ When you feel that challenge, take a moment, and remember the fleas of Ravensbruck. And thank God anyway.

Bow your heads and close your eyes.

The most difficult person I’ve ever had to deal with is myself (my wife’s husband). Today is a time to get ourselves right with the Lord so that we can be prepared to deal with difficult people during the holiday season. What steps do you need to take to get right with the Lord? Do you need to experience His salvation / ask for His forgiveness / rededicate . . .?