I was just watching pictures of our time in the Philippines appear on my computer screen and I couldn’t help but think about the Christmases being celebrated there. Many without the money to feed themselves for a week, a Christmas celebration wrapped up in dozens of gifts, beautiful trees and well lit homes is an unimaginable holiday.
The greatest Christmas I’ve ever had was the giving we did while in the Philippines – giving our lives away in the form of time, bibles, glasses, food, shirts, shoes, washings, healing, prayer, teaching, love. I sit here basking in the warmth of my large, clean and comfortable home awash in too much stuff, new gifts from family and friends, 100 times more than I need. Yet I still sometimes wish for more. Why? O God, forgive me.
I long to go again. To give, not to live for me. I read today of Mother Teresa and how she lived. All for God. All.
As I ponder this I am reminded of the season we live in now in America. Not the Christmas season but the season of Presidential primaries. One need not look too hard to find people attacking one another for being too liberal, too conservative, too mean, too likeable, not likeable enough, too wishy washy, too decisive, too religious, too whatever. A dream come true would be to live in an America where we didn’t need more government because people would rise up to help people. We didn’t need a safety net because Bill, Trish, Sue and Charles would look for the widow, the orphan, the poor, the sick and the needy and share their lives and means with them. Oh to live in a world where people lived as Jesus described to the masses on that mount some 2000 years ago: give, love, walk, go, serve, pray, heal, forgive, live abundantly as sons and daughters of the King of all kings!
Thy Kingdom come;
Thy will be done;
On earth as it is in Heaven.
It began with one solitary life. Many have joined Him. I pray for the strength and grace to do the same. Will you?