There’s a man in the Bible named Nabal, and wow, was he unpleasant. His own servants described him as a man so grumpy that nobody could even have a conversation with him. Nabal was rude to David and his men after they’d been kind to him, and David got so angry he was ready to declare war against Nabal. Do you know what stopped him? Nabal’s wife, Abigail. She rode out to meet David, spoke calmly and wisely, and talked him out of fighting. She was a peacemaker, and she probably saved a lot of lives that day.

So, what should you do when someone gets on your nerves? First, (and you won’t ever think of this one first) check yourself. Are YOU the grumpy one today? Sometimes when everybody suddenly seems annoying, the real problem is that we’re tired, hungry, or haven’t talked to God in a week. Being cranky makes everyone else look worse than they are.

Second, look closer at the other person. Very often there’s a reason behind their rudeness. The kid who snapped at you in the hallway might have had something awful happen at home this morning. The kid who brags nonstop might be worried nobody would notice him otherwise.

There’s a great little saying for this: when people get on our nerves, we should get on our knees. Praying about a person changes how you see them, and sometimes it changes them too.

Take Action: Tonight, do the double check. Ask yourself, “Was I the cranky one today?” If yes, apologize tomorrow. Then pick the person who bothered you most, get on your knees, and pray for them by name. Not “God, fix them,” but “God, bless them and help me be kind to them.”