And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
—Isaiah 35:10

How do you feel when someone judges you?

Week 1: Hope over hate. Hate

both those who receive it and those who carry it.

Week 2: Peace over perfection. Jesus did not come for

people who have it all together.

Jesus came for imperfect sinners in need of

.

This Week: How can we choose

over judgment?

We avoid feeling judged because it

.

People

family gatherings at Christmas because they feel judged there.

When we judge others, it’s often a reflection of our own

-judgment.

Judgment and joy

coexist.

What Happens When We Judge

Stress and

are rampant during the holidays.

When we compare ourselves to

, it often leads to judgment, either of them or ourselves.

Comparison is the thief of joy. —President Theodore Roosevelt

When we judge others, we can drive them away from us and even away from

.

Jesus warns his followers

judging others. (Matthew 7:1-2)

Our judgments of others are connected to our own

, shortcomings, and sins. (Matthew 7:3-5)

Judgment allows us to focus on others’ imperfections rather than acknowledging and addressing our

.

When we judge, we open ourselves to

judged.

To judge others is to acknowledge a belief that people can, in fact, legitimately judge one another; thus, it is an implicit acceptance of others’ judgment of you. —Arthur Brooks, Happiness Researcher

To have a decent Christmas and a happier life,

of judgment.

How to Choose Joy

Whatever our circumstances, we can choose to

joy.

Joy is at the

of the Christmas story. (Luke 1:46-48a)

Mary’s response to what God was doing was

. (Luke 2:10-11, 20)

The salvation Jesus brings is the

of our joy. (Isaiah 35:10)

Isaiah 35 invites us to reflect on this Advent season not only as God’s coming in Christ, but also as our coming home. God comes. God is here. We leap and shout and sing. And together we walk home. —Anathea Portier-Young, Old Testament Scholar

Social science research points to four contributors to happiness: faith, family, friends, and

.

This Christmas, find your joy in

.

Happiness is

Reveal Answer

. Full stop. —George Valliant, Director of Harvard Study of Adult Development

Action Steps

Instead of comparing, choose

. Try saying, “I hope this blesses them.”

Instead of judging, choose

.

Instead of isolation or frantic busyness, choose

.

Additional Notes