Christmas, at its heart, is about the love that Christ bore for us when He came to earth on His mission of salvation and deliverance from sin. We give gifts at Christmas in honor of Jesus as a baby in a manger who was God’s gift to all mankind. As you seek to love and bless others around you this Christmas, here are five ways that you can do just that.
1. Presents – This is the obvious first answer but that doesn’t mean we should overlook it or take it for granted. A gift given in thoughtfulness and careful consideration to the receiver is so much more meaningful than handing out pre-paid Visa cards to everyone on your list. (Not that pre-paid Visas aren’t useful and appreciated!) It will take more time and more care to pick out the right gift for each person but the amount of love you can show to that person is more than worth the extra effort.
2. Presence – You need to be there. Wherever your loved ones are gathering and even with the hassle of the crowds, weather and holiday rush, nothing can take your place in terms of showing love to the people you care about this Christmas. The gift of your time and attendance means a lot and giving your gifts in person whenever possible makes them all the more special. Enjoy the time that you get to spend with your family and friends this holiday and remember that it is a blessing that not everyone has. Don’t take it for granted.
3. Attitude – This is a busy time of year for everyone and it can be very easy to lose sight of why we are doing what we are doing. Christmas is about Jesus and should be a celebration of love and God’s favor towards all men. Peace on earth and good will towards men should be our motto and our goal this Christmas and that’s impossible to do that when we are stressed out, over tired and just plain cranky. Remember how very much that God loves you and remember that it’s not about the presents or parties, as nice and as fun as those things can be. Let love and thankfulness rule your heart and mind and not a bad attitude.
4. Action – Get involved. Nothing increases holiday spirit like giving of your time to a worthy cause in Jesus’ name. Whether it be Operation Christmas Child, a special Christmas pageant or signing up to be a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army, there’s nothing more precious or meaningful that you can give than yourself. You’ve only been given one life and you are not promised another Christmas time on this earth. Only the Lord knows how many days we’ve each been appointed and we need to be about doing good while we have the time to do it. I promise you that you will be blessed and enriched by the time you spend giving and working for the Lord.
5. Obedience – Is there something that the Lord has been impressing upon you to do this year and you have yet to say yes? Are you living each day in accordance with His word to the best of your ability? Have you run from God in your lifetime and are you running still? While the first four items on our list are ways that we can love other people, this last one is primarily between you and the Lord. Giving yourself to Him in humble obedience is absolutely the best thing you can do this Christmas and will be the best thing you’ve done all year. It will change your life for the better and it will have the added benefit of blessing those you come in contact with on a daily basis.
Remember, Christmas is about love and giving. Let us resolve to be the kind of givers that God would approve of this Christmas and let us love others the way that Jesus loves us. Merry Christmas!
Great thoughts Matthew. I have to admit that for several years I was a bit of a Scrooge and rather proud of it. However the last couple of years I have been loving Christmas once again. I love attitude and presence so those will be part of my focus this year.
Amen, Jon and Merry Christmas to you and your family!