Christmas is a great time to reach out to an unsaved loved one. What better time of year to build a bridge of communication?
My older brother was estranged from our family for a number of years and the holidays were especially hard. Finally reconciliation came and Christmas was right again. Many are facing this holiday without a loved one. Some are estranged from friends or family members because of some argument or blowup that took place years ago. I want to encourage you to take time to reach out and mend relationships this Christmas and begin the New Year on a new footing.
Here are a few suggestions that might be helpful…
● Don’t try to preach—just reach!
It takes some people a while to come to the realization that preaching to their relative who is estranged is not effective. I want to encourage you to reach out and accept your family (in spite of their unsaved lifestyle) then you will begin to the relationship start to rebuild.
● Keep the focus on the future—not the past.
It doesn’t matter really who was right or wrong. Agree to disagree and move ahead. May want to win and lose in the process. Say, “I’m sorry I hurt you”—it validates how the other person feels.
● Don’t expect too much—keep it light.
When relationships have been damaged, or severed as it was in my brother’s case, they need time to be rebuilt again. Start slowly to create a new bond of love and trust. Find common ground—something enjoyable to do together. If your son likes basketball, get tickets to a game. If your daughter enjoys shopping, make a date and go to the mall. If your friend enjoys music, invite them to a concert. There are so many wonderful activities and events to choose from during the Christmas season.
But beware; the ground you are on is shaky at best. Be careful not to bring up sensitive areas from the past. If a sticky subject comes up, simply say, “We are having such a great time, let’s not ruin it by getting into an argument.”
●Pray—it works!
Give it up to God. Even when hope is gone, even when things may appear worse than ever, a breakthrough could be on the horizon. It’s like watching the big hand on a clock. It can seem like it is moving farther away at it makes the circle back to 12:00. But the truth is, after it moves to the farthest point away at 6:00, it begins to draw closer to 12:00 again. We prayed for my brother for over a decade and he was headed in the wrong direction getting farther and farther from God. But our prayer on his behalf brought him back to Jesus!
Christmas is the season of hope. Jesus is the greatest symbol of hope in a hopeless world. Use this holiday season to reach out in love. Begin mending relationships. There is no better time than today!
For my spiritual sons and daughter please know you are loved! If you have unsaved parents or siblings I hope these little suggestions will help you have a better Christmas season.
Papa G.
Here are a few powerful verses that I pray blesses you as you pray for and reach out to a loved one who is not with the Lord this year:
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, along with your entire household.” Acts 16:31 NLT
“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 NKJV
“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” Isaiah 44:3 KJV
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2 comments:
This is all good advice. I've been using these tactics for a while now and they really do work. Family and holidays are a combo that everyone deals with on some level.
Thanks for the great blog!
Jamie
great stuff!! It's great that you are blogging again!
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