For many people, Christmas is financially the most taxing time of the year. You may find yourself wondering … is it really worth it? How can I adjust my Christmas list to use it for God’s glory? Is this how God meant for us to celebrate the birth of His Son—by spending and/or expending more money and energy than is necessary until there’s no financial resources and joy left?
When Jesus was
born, wise men came to offer gifts to the newborn King, the Savior of the
world. Today, we can’t literally give a gift to Jesus, but we can give of our
time and to causes that are near and dear to our Lord. Jesus said, “as you did
it to one of the least of these my brother, you did it to me." (Matthew
25:40)
Are you one who
is stressed out about checking off your children’s or grandchildren’s lengthy
Christmas lists? Are you wondering how you can afford to have the kind of
holiday season you want? If you answered ‘yes’ to these
last two questions, it might be time for a healthy dose of perspective.
Living in
America or for that matter any country that celebrates Christmas can numb
us to the truths outside our world of plenty and excess. I suggest to you, do
not lose sight of how fortunate we are. I am knowledgeable
enough to understanding most of the people in the world live off less
than a few dollars a day. You can mortgage your first child they aren’t stressing
over Christmas gifts; they are likely preoccupied on where their next meal will
come from. In the United States, millions of people live below the poverty line
and can’t afford to purchase gifts. These are but a few things to keep in mind
when holiday stress makes its annual appearance at this time of year.
How can one
amend a Christmas list to use it for God’s glory? Think about finding ways to
impact your giving for God’s Kingdom. Two questions immediately arise; How do I
do this? Where do I start? Think about people in your life that distance
serves as a barrier for relational interaction. Think about those
people you who do not know the Savior or who may have wandered away from
God. Then think about how you can build relationships with them over the
holidays. Something as simple a phone call or as inexpensive as a tin of
Christmas cookies can be evangelistic if it gives you a chance to spend a few
moments with a grandchild, a sibling, a parent or a neighbor. Whatever you
decide to do, make an effort to give gifts or words of encouragement that point
people to Jesus Christ, the greatest gift this world has ever known.
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