I love Sandie’s comment after yesterday’s Catch. I think we can all relate.

How about “Tidings of comfort and joy?” Do people look forward to your coming; do they blossom in your presence? Or do they look forward to your leaving, and breathe a sigh of thanks and relief when you do? We choose. Lord I’m trying so hard.

How many of you feel like that? I bet we all do at some point. When it comes to family, it seems like there is always someone who will try our patience. Someone who, as a very dear friend of mine said to me recently, “I have to down a couple beers before they get here.”

What do you do about people like that? What can you do? Well you can’t do anything about them; you can only do something about yourself. And like Sandie said, “We choose.” They’re coming anyway.

How many times have we all said, “Lord, I’m trying so hard”? That’s usually when we give up and discover, lo and behold, that the Lord actually loves this person we don’t like, and since He does, maybe He can show us what that looks like. Since the Holy Spirit is going to be there anyway, why not go along with Him and enjoy the party? The Lord died for everyone there; that’s why we can see everyone as worthy through His eyes. Yes, God saw something of great value in the person we find hard to love — enough to die for. 

Besides, how do I know I’m not the one someone else needs a couple of beers and the Holy Spirit to endure?