I love the songs of Christmas, and this year I’ve been wondering: what if I put aside the beauty and sentimentality of these much-loved songs and looked deeply at their messages?  Are they just pretty words? Or might their lyrics also encourage us to embody God’s Word?

“Silent Night,” “Away in a Manger,” “Prince of Peace,” “O little Town of Bethlehem,” and “O Holy Night” all talk of peace; for example, words from “O Holy Night” remind us that:  

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace;

I wonder about the difference we could make in our families and communities, and in the world if we decided to work at breaking down some of the barriers between us and other individuals or groups.  Can we work this holiday season at “making peace” with those whose opinions may differ from ours?

The following 5 articles may help us find a path to peace (or understanding) with those in our lives:

• Listening to Differing Opinions. A young woman reflects on her contentious relationship with her grandmother. Releasing the need to “win” an argument where both parties have strong feelings provides her a path forward.

• Can We Talk Politics and Still Be Friends? [Video] Two former state legislators – from opposite sides of the aisle – describe how they successfully worked together on initiatives, and even became good friends despite very different viewpoints on key issues.

• In Spite of Ourselves Contributing writer Amanda Price shares the story of a family grappling with the loss of a flawed and often absent father who was, at times, a very difficult person to live with.

• Search for Common Ground How do you keep the peace with a beloved family member who has very differing opinions? This is how I remain very close to my sister Loretta. 

• Seeing the Light of God in Everyone: Disrupting Racism A white woman reflects on her unintentional racism and vows to disrupt her fearful thoughts to better see the Light of God in every human.

Merry Christmas.