INSIGHT: A Christmas hope

As I made my rounds during my last minute shopping for our food baskets that our church gives out during the Christmas season, along with gifts for the children of those families who have less than we do, I was struck by many happy greetings that I received at each business that I entered: merry Christmas, happy holidays, have a blessed Christmas, seasons greetings to you, and happy Christmas.

It was just great to see people truly happy and sharing it with others. That’s what the birth of our Savior is supposed to be. Why can’t people of God be this joyful everyday of the year, not just at Christmas?

As I was driving home after doing my errands, I began to think about all those people who will be sad during these holy days of Christmas. Those people are all around us — those who are away from loved ones, service members and their families, those who are struggling with life-threatening illness, those who have no funds to buy gifts for those whom they love or even those who have nothing to eat, no job or worse, no hope of finding work.

No, there is no end to the list of those who will not have a merry Christmas.

OK, OK, I know you are saying to yourself: why, is he trying to be such a “wet blanket” during this happy season?

I’m not at all. What I am trying to point out is Christ did not come to earth to end suffering and pain, but to give it meaning.

Those who seek to be Christ-like listen to his words and respond to those words. That response must include prayer and action. That action can include calling those who we know will be alone during Christmas, sending a card to someone who is serving in the military, sending a note to someone who has lost a family member this past year and visiting those who are struggling with illness. Also, giving to those who have little or nothing during this holy time.

There are lots of ways to do that: angel trees, food baskets and many others. Find someone who has no work and hire them to do lawn work or paint the back steps, giving them not only a small amount of money, but hope. When you have made the effort to make a difference in someone’s life, you will have made those words of two thousand years ago come alive in this 2011 Christmas season. “When you have done it unto the least of mine, you have done it unto me.”

As each of us celebrates the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of Christ, it is my prayer that each of us will pray for hearts to turn to the prince of peace, joy on earth, peace and goodwill. May this be our lot this coming year. Merry Christmas and may God bless you the whole year through!