Does Christmas ever get messy with your family?
Maybe you have that sibling that’s a black sheep….or that in-law with the backwards politics….or that cousin who is just hard to be around...
Most of us have that family gathering over the holidays where we can’t help but find ourselves looking at our watch counting the minutes till we can leave because of that person.
Almost every family has that person who makes the holidays…well…messy.
Whether the messy comes from a topic as polarizing as politics, as unimportant as football teams, as pivotal as major life choices, or as simple as arriving on time - when I’m honest with myself, it all comes back to a choice I’ve made, and a choice I’m not proud of.
It’s generally me choosing to not give grace - grace that’s been so abundantly given to me.
When I really pull back the curtain further, it’s me projecting my perceptions and preferences onto another person. And not just anyone either - a family member.
Grace is going out of the way to give compassion and kindness to someone - even if they don’t deserve, appreciate, or return it. It’s also something I need a lot of - because my list of mistakes is LONG. Just ask my wife!
When it gets messy this holiday season, here’s to giving a gift that no one will open, but everyone should feel: Grace.
Here's to a Merry - not messy- Christmas.