A Christmas Challenge!

The last couple of weeks have been difficult around our house and tension has been running high. To say the least, we have all been on edge. Impatience, arguing, yelling...you name it, we are guilty.

As we we sat down to breakfast, (listening to the seemingly endless bickering of my children), the words "outdo one another in love" popped into my head. These words are similar to the scripture found in Romans 12:10...

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

So...I came up with the Christmas Challenge. I proposed a "contest" to hopefully get our family into the giving spirit (and maybe improve the atmosphere in our house). From now until Christmas we have all agreed to try to beat each other at outdoing the others in love. To start, we have committed to writing down 5 ideas specific for each family member. I'd like to think of these ideas as giving gifts...

Some examples from today...

1. Robert sent me a text message telling me how excited he is to see God working in my life and that he loves me.
2. Braden & I wanted something different for dinner than Joshua & Robert. Braden and I teamed up to "outdo" them by making what they wanted.

Should be interesting...

Also, quick funny story. On the way to school this morning, I read the scripture above and then kept reading. We ended up on Romans 2:20

...If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.

Robert and I then told the boys about the importance of doing good to your enemies/loving them etc. Anyway...a couple of minutes later, Robert said something nice to me...can't remember what...

But, from the back of the van Braden yells..."MOM! your head's on fire because of the coals!"

Almost got the application...although, I hope Robert and I aren't enemies :)

Finally...sidenote about that verse. I always thought heaping coals on your enemy's head meant that it makes them feel bad by being nice to them (y'know, the old kill em with kindness routine)...slightly vengeful on my part and not theologically correct.

My husband corrected my thinking. Apparently in Jesus' time people walked around with hot coals in a bucket on their heads to keep warm. So...heaping coals on their heads was actually an act of kindness to lead them to repentance. Who knew?