Last week, our pastor warned us against the dangers of celebrating Christmas without remembering the greatest commandment: to love God, and love our neighbors (listen here: http://www.fbcpaducah.org/images/audio/11.29.09.mp3). Christians ought to be a peculiar people in how they celebrate Christ's birth. We find joy in remembering the miracle of Christ's birth, and hope for His return to claim His Church.
The scriptures are clear that all we have should be submitted to God. Sometimes we feel prompted by God to be generous in a specific way. To my shame, I live most of my days fairly self-absorbed. If you're like me, those promptings don't come often enough. We need to be disciplined about reflecting Christ's love with our generosity. In the name of "Christmas Spirit" here are a few suggestions to make this Christmas less materialistic. These are a few ways you can support others while celebrating Christmas.
1) Give to your local church. This has been a tough year for most churches. The Southern Baptist International Mission Board has called back hundreds of missionaries around the world because giving is so critically low. Give a specific offering for the Lottie Moon Offering.
2) Consider sponsoring a child. You can even initiate a sponsorship on behalf of someone else as a gift, and let them correspond with the child. Visit: http://www.compassion.com/
3) Visit Samaritan's Purse, and consider buying a few things from their gift catalog in honor of friends and relatives. Visit: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/index.php/Giving/gift_catalog/
There are lots of great ways to spread the Christmas Spirit. Be intentional, and remember to SPEAK of Christ when you have the opportunity.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
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