Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:9–10 (ESV)
The wait is over. Ready or not, Christmas is almost here. In many homes, the festivities are planned, the presents are bought and a fantastic holiday is in the works. For them, this is a time of happiness that has been anticipated for weeks.
For others, the lead-up to Christmas is stressful and the holiday season is to be endured like a trip to the dentist.
Whether you’re anticipating a wonderful holiday or wishing it were over, there’s something you can do right now to make your holidays better than anticipated—and it doesn’t involve another trip to the mall.
You can create a fantastic (or at least a better-than-expected Christmas) for yourself and your loved ones simply by honouring those around you.
Honouring someone means showing them respect. It’s a simple enough task that produces enormous results, but all too often we don’t follow through when we’re around family. We leave our manners at the door and fail to show our loved ones the same respect we would give a passing stranger.
In showing respect, you can soften relationships that may have hardened through years of neglect and ill will. You can also strengthen relationships you rely on in times of need and enhance the ones that bring you joy.
This Christmas, change your focus to one of honour and watch the effect it’ll have on you and those around you.