Monday, December 18, 2006
Presents Are Not The Answer
Thanks and praise to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
During this time of celebration of Christs birth there are many that get depressed, anxious, worried, and in general just plain fanatics towards getting the right gift for everyone. Our society has turned a beautiful and glorious time into a time of worries and sorrows for some, just wanting another Christmas to be behind them.
Retailers are celebrating the profits that their stores are bringing in. Some of them do not care what the reason is as long as they make their money. This is very clear with the controversy over using the words Merry Christmas. For most retailers you could use any phrase you wanted as long as you continued to buy from them. This should tell you something about their reason for the season. Some retailers went to Happy Holidays last year only to go back to Merry Christmas this year. This is what you get when the corporate world steps in to make sure that no one is offended. I say if they are offended I am sorry but this is a Christian holiday recognized by our government. The ones that are offended need to take their frustrations out on someone other than the Christians because this is our holiday. But we do not just allow Christians to participate in it, anyone is welcome and invited to celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Of course we all want the best for our families and especially our children during Christmas. But is the giving of presents gone to far. I think that it has. It is better to give than receive but to give in order to keep the standards set by our society is wrong. Christmas is a time of joy and peace. When giving a gift it should come from the heart and not always from the pocketbook. The price of a gift does not make it any better than a gift that does not have a price tag on it. Sometimes it is worse. There are some that do not appreciate a gift unless it comes from a particular store or has a specific name on it. I am sorrowed by this myself. Children expect presents on Christmas and that is not a bad thing but so many are just thinking about the presents and not thinking of the birth of our Saviour.
The really warm feeling you get inside is when you give to those less fortunate than yourselves. This comes from the charity and love from the heart that is given to us by Jesus Christ. This is the best feeling one could get by giving gifts. But it is not only specific to December 25th. There are those less fortunate that need our help all year long. Those that are hungry, sick, homeless, devastated by war, and many other circumstances that would require help and aid from some that are able, financially, to give to them. We should keep them in our prayers continually.
Most children, if given the opportunity, would love to give to those less fortunate. We as parents can give them the opportunity and get them involved in this process of giving to the less fortunate. There are many organizations that will take donations for specific items that a certain group may need. One of these was exciting for one of my children last year and he has already asked if we were going to do it again this year. It is in Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog.
There is a place where you can give $10.00 to supply a poor family with baby chicks.
During this time of celebration of Christs birth there are many that get depressed, anxious, worried, and in general just plain fanatics towards getting the right gift for everyone. Our society has turned a beautiful and glorious time into a time of worries and sorrows for some, just wanting another Christmas to be behind them.
Retailers are celebrating the profits that their stores are bringing in. Some of them do not care what the reason is as long as they make their money. This is very clear with the controversy over using the words Merry Christmas. For most retailers you could use any phrase you wanted as long as you continued to buy from them. This should tell you something about their reason for the season. Some retailers went to Happy Holidays last year only to go back to Merry Christmas this year. This is what you get when the corporate world steps in to make sure that no one is offended. I say if they are offended I am sorry but this is a Christian holiday recognized by our government. The ones that are offended need to take their frustrations out on someone other than the Christians because this is our holiday. But we do not just allow Christians to participate in it, anyone is welcome and invited to celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Of course we all want the best for our families and especially our children during Christmas. But is the giving of presents gone to far. I think that it has. It is better to give than receive but to give in order to keep the standards set by our society is wrong. Christmas is a time of joy and peace. When giving a gift it should come from the heart and not always from the pocketbook. The price of a gift does not make it any better than a gift that does not have a price tag on it. Sometimes it is worse. There are some that do not appreciate a gift unless it comes from a particular store or has a specific name on it. I am sorrowed by this myself. Children expect presents on Christmas and that is not a bad thing but so many are just thinking about the presents and not thinking of the birth of our Saviour.
The really warm feeling you get inside is when you give to those less fortunate than yourselves. This comes from the charity and love from the heart that is given to us by Jesus Christ. This is the best feeling one could get by giving gifts. But it is not only specific to December 25th. There are those less fortunate that need our help all year long. Those that are hungry, sick, homeless, devastated by war, and many other circumstances that would require help and aid from some that are able, financially, to give to them. We should keep them in our prayers continually.
Most children, if given the opportunity, would love to give to those less fortunate. We as parents can give them the opportunity and get them involved in this process of giving to the less fortunate. There are many organizations that will take donations for specific items that a certain group may need. One of these was exciting for one of my children last year and he has already asked if we were going to do it again this year. It is in Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog.
There is a place where you can give $10.00 to supply a poor family with baby chicks.
| Baby Chicks |  | |
| | |
| | |
| Looking for a Grade-A way to help poor families? How about a flock of chickens, ducks, or other fowl? It costs about $10 for a dozen chicks that can grow up to lay hundreds of eggs a year. Your gift can help spread the word that Jesus longs to care for the hurting “as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings” (Matthew 23:37, NKJV). | |
| | |
| | |
| Chickens & Poultry Projects | |
| | |
| | |
| SUGGESTED GIFT: $10.00 |
Samaritan's Purse Gift Catalog has many other things as well. Check them out.
There are many different organizations that do something similar to this. Here are just a few.
Feed The Children
The Voice of the Martyrs
Samaritan's Purse
Gospel For Asia
The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem
Max Missions
So as you can see there are many opportunities to get the whole family involved in giving to the needy or less fortunate. Let the love of Christ in your heart and give. Quit worrying about the small stuff and realize that there is a higher calling that we need to adhere to. Jesus Christ said that if you give to the least of them you also give to Him. Isn't that a great thing?
Make this Christmas very special and start a tradition of giving to others that need it, not only to those that do not.
Matthew 25:31-46
31: When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34: Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37: Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38: When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39: Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41: Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44: Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45: Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46: And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Labels: Christmas, giving, help, helping, less fortunate, needy, poor, presents
 |
