Attack
Christmas. A time to be with family. A time to reflect on the incredible gift of our Savior. A time to get away from work and the worries of the world for a few days of peace.

A time of war.

War? You bet. The thief and his demons are on full alert over the holidays. What better time to launch a counter attack than on the day we celebrate the birth of the Liberator?

I left Thursday afternoon for 2 days in Atlanta with my wife's family. That morning, I had a run in with a client. This disagreement had been brewing for a week or so and it culminated on Friday morning. The client emailed me and said, "Thanks for the fruit you sent. I'm sorry for our misunderstanding but we don't feel like you give us enough of your time. I've felt that way a long time and I think my wife does too. I may be wrong but I don't think so. Merry Christmas."

It completely blew me away. Totally. Where on earth did this come from? I've spent a great deal of time with this client and his wife over the past 3 months. We had a misunderstanding because I got put in beween my client and his wife. He told me one thing, she another. When I acted on what I was told, he told me I had misunderstood. I thought we had worked it out, then...this. On the Friday before Christmas as I was in Atlanta with in-laws, he pulls the plug on the grenade and drops it in my lap..."you don't spend enough time with us..."

I blew up. It took me out and I had a real battle on my hands for 24 hours fighting the demons as they attacked. Where did this come from?

Why now? Why here 2-3 days before Christmas right when I am shifting out of work mode and into family mode? Why now?

It was an attack - pure and simple. What better way to destroy a family but to launch an attack right as the holiday is starting?

I wonder how many faced similar incidents over the past week? Where does this come from? The enemy. The thief. He comes to destroy.

Thankfully, even though it really upset me, I recognized it for what it was. Rather than centering on my client, I centered on the enemy as the culprit. I called on the Savior to crawl out of His manger and save me. The more we work to recognize the battle, the more clearly we see the magnificence of that gift 2000 years ago.

Soar!