“Please let my lord go on ahead before his servant. I will lead on slowly at a pace which the livestock that go before me, and the children, are able to endure, until I meet my lord in Seir” (Genesis 33:14 NKJ).
Here is a verse which shows us how to deal with super-aggressive people. Every religious group has at least one person in it who is pushy, opinionated, strong-willed, vocal, and determined to “get this show on the road.”
How do you defuse such “hyper” people who “come on like gangbusters” to get things moving?
We can take a lesson from Jacob here. When he finally meets up with his long-lost brother and they turn toward home, he tells Esau to go on ahead and he will follow at a slower pace and meet him there later.
Jacob and Esau may have been over that road many times before. It’s likely that the two of them could have pressed on and reached their destination in record time. But Jacob held back from hurrying.
In verse thirteen we see that he is concerned lest the flock and the children be overdriven. In verse fourteen he expresses this concern by his suggestion that his brother go on ahead and allow him to follow along at a pace more suited to the animals and the young.
This is the way to handle aggressors. Tell them: “You go on ahead by yourself and set a pace that suits you. I am responsible for the young, tender, inexperienced travelers who move a lot slower than you. I will bring them along as quickly as they are able. We’ll catch up with you later. It may take us a while longer to reach our destination, but we’ll all make it. You go on; we’ll meet you there.”
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.