Christmas: a time for peace

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice" Ephesians 4:31
This might seem an odd verse to choose to discuss with less than one month before Christmas, but I would argue it is at the core of the meaning of Christmas.
I once read somewhere that Christmas is one of the most stressful dates on the calendar, rife with depression, suicide and domestic violence.
That's tragic, isn't it?
I suspect that an important reason for this is we feel compelled to maintain an appearance of harmony rather than get down to the hard work of making amends and making peace with those who have a quarrel with us.
I've certainly witnessed, all too often, blood relations and their spouses force themselves to maintain a fragile front to endure a few hours or days together once a year for the sake of the Christmas tradition.
I regret to admit that I am barely on speaking terms with the mother of my children and Christmas is far from a harmonious time for our boys and either one of us.
I am happy to say, however, that I've been working hard to get rid of my bitterness, anger and brawling.
Sure, at times some hurtful actions or words really hit a raw nerve and it takes a lot of self-discipline to bite my tongue, and forgive.
But I invariably feel glad I did bite my tongue, and bring myself to show mercy rather than lash out in return.
Why?
Because bitterness rots us from within and spoils everything around us.
Like most people, I imagine, I do at times let "things get under my skin", or rattle me or get a rise out of me -- the beginnings of bitterness.
But I try to remind myself that bitterness motivates habitual complaining.
I'm always embarrassed when I discover myself indulging in this. (Job 7:11, 10:1) Bitterness is the trigger of indulging in self-pitying and/or vengeful thoughts and that's the slippery slope to a whole slew of sins.
It's interesting to me that Jesus Christ was born at a time of political strife and volatility, in a land dominated by a foreign empire and an indigenous population bitterly divided in their interpretations of how to submit to God's will.
I've heard people describe the arrival of the Messiah as a spiritual D-day, the turning point in the war between good and evil. Not the day of victory, but the day hope of victory was born. Jesus Christ came to redeem us from our sins.
His mission was also to show us how to live according to God's will.
When his cousin, John the Baptist, was beheaded, he did not avenge.
When he himself was crucified, he sought mercy for his accusers.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" Romans 12:21