Scripture: Ephesians 4:2
Our Christmas Eve plans are as predictable as the sunrise. We begin with our own Christmas meal, then celebrate Christmas Eve with the children of our church and, in recent years, celebrate again with the candlelight communion service. Then the predictability gets a little iffier. We are predictable, but she will not be. As we travel for our ritual to decorate and sing for our friend, Angela, we all begin to wonder. “Will she be happy to see us this year? Will she laugh or snap? Will she even talk to us, or will this be one of those years that she requests we sing her favorite Christmas carols and hymns?” It doesn’t really matter what we speculate or what kind of mood she will be in, we travel on to show her our love. Some people are just harder to love than others. Angela has reminded us all year long and especially on Christmas Eve for the past 21 years that Jesus’ love can and should be shared with even those that are sometimes hard to love. Every few years, she’ll laugh with us, sing with us and softly say “thank you and Merry Christmas” just as it’s time to go. But even if she doesn’t, we love her and will be back next Sunday and next Christmas Eve, as predictably as the sunset.
Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for giving us your son, Jesus, who taught us how to love all of your children. Thank you for Angela and people like her that teach us -in good times and bad- how to love without expecting anything in return.
John, Ginny, Holly and Maggie Mills
