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| The ultimate Christmas gift. |
As we approach the home stretch on another Christmas season of buying, buying and the buying of more presents, let us reflect on a few things.
First, let me state that I am not against Christmas gifts, Christmas lights, Christmas trees, Santa Claus, Christmas carols or anything associated with this most blessed of Christian holidays.
Christmas is a birthday party for our Lord Jesus Christ and ought to be celebrated as such.
But in all of this there has to be a balance.
We have to stop the madness. Stop the frustrating pursuit of the perfect present. Stop shopping until we drop. Stop trying to “people please” through gift giving.
Look around our neighborhoods, in our community, where we work and in the church we attend.
There is someone in need.
What are we doing about it?
What if your family has an extra $200 or $300 you had planned to spend on an XBox, a Wii or more electronic gadgets like an iPod or an iPad, but you have a neighbor who doesn't have money to pay their utility bill or there a family at church that doesn’t have Christmas gifts to give because their money has to go to important things like fuel, food and a way to keep a roof over their heads.
What if there are families in the town where you live who don't have food to eat, what do you do?
Do we want to give money so neighbor has heat in his or her home, or do we give to the family who is down on their luck some things they need...or do we go and buy some more 'stuff'?
Somewhere along the way, our youngsters have got to get the message, what we can spend less, but give more this season?
What if we love more by our actions, not just our words?
What if we use the holidays to worship God more fully?
Giving of our self, our time, our talents and our money is a simple principle that is validated throughout the Bible and in Jesus' ministry.
Isaiah 58:10-11 (Amplified Bible) says, “And if you pour out that with which you sustain your own life for the hungry and satisfy the need of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in darkness, and your obscurity and gloom become like the noonday. And the Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you in drought and in dry places and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not.”
In the New Testament in Luke 6:38 (Amplified Bible) we read, “Give, and [gifts] will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will they pour [a]into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you deal out [with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others], it will be measured back to you.”
I really like what is says in Proverbs 28:27 in the The Message version, “Be generous to the poor—you’ll never go hungry; shut your eyes to their needs, and run a gauntlet of curses.”
Do you want to be cursed? I would think not.
What if we all bought one gift less for our families this year and use that money to buy gifts that matter like filling a care package or a food basket for someone in need. Or we could purchase a load of firewood so someone might have warmth this winter. We could also spend a few bucks to purchase a vehicle tire or two for someone we know who has a need and not enough money to take care of the dangers of tires that are running thin on tread. We could also help someone with a mission project or a mission trip.
The ideas are endless. Let us think of others and their needs this Christmas season.
These morning messages are now available by email. Simply write me with you email address at schneider.nick@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to forward them to your in-box.
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