Dillon Community Church

One of the things I genuinely look forward to at Christmastime is getting together with family. I’ll be honest—this wasn’t always the case. For many years I had to learn to embrace family gatherings rather than dread them. My family can be… well… a lot. And maybe yours can too.

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This time of year, it seems like everyone is offering advice on “what not to say at the dinner table” or “how to survive the holidays with your in-laws.” Most of us have that parent, sibling, quirky uncle, or cousin who can be a particular challenge to love. Maybe for you it isn’t family—maybe it’s a coworker, someone at church, or even your own spouse.

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Over time, I’ve become convinced that the Lord places these people in our lives intentionally—not to frustrate us, but to shape us. To teach us how to love.

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Jesus said, “Love each other as I have loved you” (John 13:34). And Scripture reminds us that love isn’t first a feeling—it’s an action, a way of life.

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Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:

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• Love is patient and kind.
• It does not envy or boast.
• It is not proud, rude, or self-seeking.
• It is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs.
• It does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
• It bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. 

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I’ll admit—these are hard for me. The actions of love often stir up feelings in me that I’d rather avoid. They take intentionality, practice, and more patience than I naturally have.

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Sometimes I imagine the relational dynamics of the disciples. They came from different walks of life, with different habits, personalities, and opinions. How long did resentment toward Matthew linger after he left his tax booth? Did they annoy each other? Did someone chew too loudly? Did they argue about little things?

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Loving one another couldn’t have been easy for them either. But we get to see the beauty of who they became as Jesus shaped them along the way.

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This season can make relational tension feel heavier than usual. It can require extra work, extra patience, and extra grace. But that challenge is also an opportunity—an invitation.

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Advent invites us to reset. To practice compassion, forgiveness, and understanding. To shift the way we see one another. To let Christ form something new in us. To become, slowly and imperfectly, more like Him.

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It’s never easy to set aside our own wants, opinions, or frustrations. But we, too, are on a journey of becoming. And as we put in the good work—trusting that God is shaping us—He reminds us that something better is always ahead.

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May this season be a time of growth, grace, and wholehearted love.

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Mitchell Andrews
Elder