In light of my last post I thought these ideas, received via email, were worth posting. Kind of God's "wish list" for Christmas.
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way Jesus' birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of Jesus' birth, and why He came to live with us down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that He loves them.
4. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
5. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile; it could make the difference.
6. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one.
7. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary-- especially one who takes God's love and Good News to those who have never heard His name.
8. There are individuals and whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them, buy some food and a few gifts and give them to the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Jesus and they will make the delivery for you.
9. Finally, if you want to make a statement about your belief in and loyalty to Jesus, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in His presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of His.
Have other ideas? Please join the discussion and add them to the Comments section of this post.
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4 comments:
Some great practical ideas.
I was just reading some of Proverbs and came across another idea.
Listen to the poor. Listen to those who are hurting. Much like spending time at a elderly care place, the downcast need to know that someone does care for them. It could very well be the way that they see God's love this season.
If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered. (Proverbs 21:13)
I also suppose that true listening requires action. If we hear the cry and don't act, why should we expect our cry to be answered?
Great thoughts Aaron. We all at some point or another find ourselves on the receiving end of need.
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