Respond with the Energies of Prayer

“When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer for that person.” (Luke 6:28, The Message)

From a human standpoint it's rare that we respond to someone who is giving us a difficult time with prayer, or as The Message puts it with the energies of prayer.  We want to respond alright, but usually in a tit for tat way, compounding evil with our version of "good" which is evil. 

How much better to respond to difficult people with the energies of prayer for them.  Will this change them?  Perhaps.   It will definitely change us.