Serving-up some Holiday Kindness

During the season of thankful hearts and peace on earth, it’s more important than ever to exercise a little goodwill toward men!

According to my personal stress-Richter scale, I’d have to say that getting along with others during the holidays, creates a doable – but often difficult challenge. It’s just that most people (including myself) seemed to be wired a little higher and stretched a little tighter.

For many, the holidays are joyful and filled with much laughter, celebration times, family gatherings, and gift giving. Those things produce stress! For others, the holidays evoke sadness because of lost relationships, death of loved ones, or just a general distaste for all the commercialism. Those events bring on the stress, too.

Unless you plan on being a hermit during the upcoming holidays, it would be helpful to do a little brushing up on your people skills, since most everyone you meet has the potential of being a little stressed-out and edgy.

Here are some tips to help you spread the JOY of the season:

-Show a little mercy. In other words, cut some slack. You just don’t know what’s going on mentally and emotionally with that sarcastic sales person or grumpy co-worker. Members of your own family may have burdens during this time of year that you are unaware of. When bad moods appear on others, retaliate with a silent prayer and genuine smile. You may be the very person to redirect their focus. And God will bless you for this!

-Make a deliberate effort to get along. The Biblical directive in Romans 12:18 helps me with this one. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” And, I’ve discovered it is – most of the time – possible! I just have to deliberately make it so.

-See things from the other person’s point of view. When others realize you are doing this, they feel valued and that their thoughts matter. It’s a great way to open the communication lines and often wins people to your way of thinking.

-Get alone with God! This is always the best way to deal with any kind of stress, including those people who get on your nerves. Consistently being with Jesus daily, will help you take on the mind of Christ. And His Mind is full of everything you need to make it through the holidays with JOY!

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus! Philippians 4:7