The #1 Thing You Should Do When You Go Home For the Holidays
I hadn’t expected to be able to sit down with her and talk. But the longer we sat there at the table, the more of her life story she poured out. I realized I’d judged her too harshly and not asked the right questions. I fiercely wished that I had checked up on her in the past to make sure she was okay after seeing signs of depression.
This was just another moment of God teaching me the power of listening. This year, I got the privilege of being a camp counselor. This brought with it many “mandatory” listening moments where we got to find out about the camper’s life. There were the funny details like pets and favorite colors and siblings, but it was amazing that once they understood how well I listened to trivial things, they opened up to me about some really hard things.
I would like to apply this to the Christmas season. This Christmas, what if we listen more than we talk?
We will be around so many people this Christmas season including family and friends. Some of these people have rarely heard the name of Jesus pronounced in their life. Some of them need the hope that we have to offer, the hope found in Isaiah 9:6. Others need a kickstart to their spiritual life and this season, this Christmas, we could be the tool God uses to bring them back to the flock.
“For to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” -Isaiah 9:6
Praying for Gospel witness
Last Christmas and this Christmas my heart has been burdened to pray for the masses of people going back home to difficult family gatherings with shattered relationships, or even walking into a house void of any kind of Christ-like love. Will that be your prayer too? If you are someone with good family relations, pray for those who have less than ideal family situations. Keep tabs on how they’re doing; sometimes those people may feel as if they’re the glue holding everything together, when really it’s God.
Let’s ask good questions; let’s ask people how they need us to pray for them as we part ways to be with loved ones.
The power of listening
Then, at those reunions, let’s be listeners, as in James’ exhortation in James 1:19:
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”
Let’s be silent as they relate to us the same stories we’ve heard a thousand times; the play-by-play commentary on cousin Jeff’s great soccer game; the story of how grandma and grandpa met (with grandpa constantly interjecting to fix slightly embellished details).
Let’s speak only to uplift, only to ask big heart questions, only to get more details on things that perhaps we don’t necessarily care about as much as the person who is doing the talking.
Make a note to talk to that one relative that’s a bit off the wall (the one whose approach has you taking off for the farthest room). Do the hard thing and offer the Gospel. Perhaps that relative is so closed off to God and His Word; if so, use your life and those precious four hours to show them the love that has taken over your life. John 15:12-15 may be a helpful text to carry with you:
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”
Remembering God’s love
A huge part of being willing to listen is remembering that God listens to us. It’s being so overwhelmed by His love for us that we can’t help but show that love to others so they too will have a change to experience His love.
This season should remind us more than almost any other of how vast God’s love is for us. We’ve heard the Christmas story may times; but maybe we really need to LISTEN this season, just as we will listen to our relatives and friends.
So, will you dare to listen this Christmas?
Will you hear the Christmas story in a new light?
Will you cherish the words you’ve heard for so long?
And will you listen to friends and family in an effort to love them like Christ?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amanda Brown is loves reading Emily Dickinson poems, dancing in the rain, and telling stories that are a little over-exaggerated. Her perfect day includes drinking rosebud tea, snacking on a honey-covered rice cake, and watching a BBC drama with her mom and sister. She has run a blog and magazine, Oh Beloved One, since she was 12 and loves her title as Blogger, Head Editor, and Head Designer. You can find her at www.ohbelovedone.com.