We all take journeys that we don’t want to take. It’s not because God wishes them upon us, they’re not a punishment or somehow meant to teach us something. But in the midst of those journeys we learn something. We see God’s hand guiding and leading us. We recognize that God is able to force and bend the fear, the suffering, the pain, the darkness and uncertainty of those journeys to accomplish good and beautiful things.

We’re called to be people who are gracious and merciful. People who wish good and not evil, even upon those who have hurt us. The Holy Spirit that was moving in the life of Mary long ago, the same Holy Spirit that was moving in Joseph to be forgiving in face of his heartbreak, and that same Holy Spirit is working in and around all of us today.

What did matter was all that God was preparing to accomplish through this child, and Joseph’s part in making that happen. Joseph had to humble himself.

Do you think that made impact on Jesus? Do you think it affected him to live every day with a man who had accepted and embraced that it’s not about him, and it’s about something greater?

It’s also important to be intentional about your stewardship—what you do with what you’ve got and what you make. It’s that regular, systematic giving that’s not emotional, or glamorous, or flashy. But it provides environments that keep marriages strong, and kids learning and growing. That regular giving that creates environments that prevent divorce, and bankruptcy, and child abuse.

Consuming, lacking, being afraid. If that’s where you are start a different cycle, the cycle of abundance. It makes no sense in the natural. It’s supernatural. It’s irrational. We give, God multiplies, our faith grows, and we give more. When we give, God creates in us a harvest of generosity, and when we give, people thank God.

Listen, these words from Jesus are for you. We are the “them.” Knowing that allows that forgiveness to flow to us, and then, and then, it allows that forgiveness to flow through us. Forgiven people, forgive people. Forgive one another.

There’s no place for Christians to be bad tempered and irritable, but there is a legitimate place for anger. We’re to be angry about injustice, we’re to be angry when people are treated inhuman, we’re to be angry at systemic evil, tyranny, blatant sin. But selfish, uncontrolled anger needs to be cut out of our lives like a cancer. Be slow to become angry but be angry about the right things.

You might feel like you’ve made too many mistakes. You may hear my words today and think that you’ve blown it. Maybe you’ve wanted to hear from someone, just one encouraging word because you don’t hear any at home, at work, at school, or even in church. Well let me end by telling you this. Jesus called his first disciples from the un-educated, over looked sinners that no self respected, religious rabbi would have chosen.

What does it mean to love one another? I want that so bad for our church. Wouldn’t it be amazing if all of us became devoted to a few, were truthful with all, and willing to overlook each other’s faults? When you make a choice to love, sometimes an amazing thing happens. Relation-slips are lessened. Relationships are strengthened. Loving one another is hard work, but it’s worth it.