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As with many things, our society, especially in the Western world, altered the way Christmas is celebrated. Today, people pack the malls and shop online for gifts they feel pressured to buy for family and friends. It's an attitude of, "I have to buy a gift for him or her." For many, it's changed from wanting to do something nice for someone to begrudgingly doing it.
Some spend thousands on gifts that take years to payoff, so the stress of purchasing presents turns into stress of being in debt. Does any of this make sense? It doesn't to me. That's why Martha and I pretty much forego all of the gift giving, and instead enjoy the time we spend with family and friends on Christmas Day. Family time is a gift. With our busy ministry and work schedules, we don't see many of our family members often, so that is our Christmas gift.
If you do give gifts let me ask you to change your perspective. Look at how God gave His perfect gift to all of us. God gave us His one and only son, Jesus Christ, because He wanted to. God didn't say, "Geez, I don't want to do this, but I feel pressured to, so here ... here's my gift."
No, as we read in John 3:16, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, and whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."
God gave because He loved us. God saw His creation and decided to give us His very best because He loves us.
That's how our gift-giving should be. Give to someone because you love them. Let your giving come from a heart of love.
God also gave us a gift we needed. We were lost and going to Hell, but God saw that we needed the perfect sacrifice for our sins. So, what did He do? He sent Jesus, who lived and walked on this earth just like you and me. He was tempted in every way, however, He did not sin. He was unblemished. Perfect. Therefore, Jesus, the son of God and our perfect gift, died and paid the price for all of our sins.
He didn't stop there, though. On the third day, Jesus arose. He came back to life to live and reign forever. If only we believe in Jesus, repent of our sins and confess Him as our Lord and Savior, then we will receive eternal life with Him. No gift can ever be better than that.
When you give, do you look for people's needs and help fill them? Martha and I are like many people living in the U.S. We really don't need anything as far as material possessions. We have a house, electricity, food, fresh water to drink, vehicles, clothes and many other things that are not needs.
We see people in our own community who are in great need. We see people in countries like Haiti, Philippines, Myanmar and Pakistan who have nothing. No roof over their heads, no food, no fresh water, no medicine.
There are great needs all around. Try to help meet some of those needs. Help bring fresh water to a village in Haiti. Help feed impoverished children in the Philippines. Help build a school and church in Pakistan. Help support a pastor and his family in Myanmar. Help provide food and hygiene items for the homeless in Dothan. Help provide medicine and supplies for our Samaritan Clinic.
You can help by donating financially to Love In Action or to any other ministry God has placed on your heart. Give Us Hope Mission is another great ministry to give to as they do great work in Haiti. Whoever you give to, just do it. Help show the love of Jesus to people who feel abandoned and unloved ... lost.
The best Christmas Martha and I have ever had was two years ago when we traveled to Haiti with Give Us Hope Mission. On Christmas Day we handed out bags of rice and beans and shared Jesus with people who lived in mud huts and cardboard boxes. Many got saved that day. I will aways remember what one elderly woman told us after she received her bag of rice and beans. "This is the best Christmas ever."
Would you say that over a bag of rice and beans? Probably not. But when you live on $2 or less a day as much of the world does, rice and beans would be an answered prayer. You can be an answer to prayers. Will you? You can help make Christmas, truly, the most wonderful time of the year.
If you would like to give to Love In Action, you can mail your tax-deductible gift to:
Love In Action International Ministries
P.O. Box 85
Dothan, AL 36302
Or, you can give online via Pay Pal by clicking on this link.
Thank you, and may God bless you and your family this Christmas season and throughout 2016.
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