Skip to main content

Christmas Card

You may have heard Christians say, "They will know us by our love." They are referring to John 13:35.  It says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  

This is a verse that has been on my mind lately. As the holiday season gets rolling the pace of life seems to pick up.  The "to do" list includes decorations, baking, and shopping for gifts. There are Christmas parties to attend and movies to watch. It's easy to get caught up in the litany of things to do and pass over the opportunity presented by the season.  

As the shopping centers get crowded and tempers rise, we have a chance to be different.  By sharing kindness and grace we can make a small impact in our circles. The things of this world take over in our modern Christmas season. By anchoring ourselves in Jesus we can be different when someone runs into us with a shopping cart or cuts us off in the parking lot. 

They say supply chain will impact the gifts you may want to give.  This seems to add to the frenzied mentality. I think it is a tremendous opportunity for us as Christians. We can purposely choose to give another gift this Christmas season. A gift that will never break or fade away. When you are staring at a shelf with the last of the season's hottest item, be the glimmer of light and let them have it.

We get to love and show the world that we follow Jesus.  Maybe by our example, someone will choose to check out church this Christmas and hear the Gospel for the first time. Through our kindness someone who has been hurt by the church may decide to give it another try. They may see that there is an entire group of people who love in a way that they stand out from the rest of the world.  

Last week Pastor Tim shared that we have these cards with our Christmas service times printed on them.  I encourage you to take a handful and share them with people you encounter. Embrace the season and the opportunity it presents.  Choose to show love in the me-centric, materialistic modern Christmas season.  Let everyone know you follow Jesus by the way you love and live. Then do something bold and invite them to join us at Westside. 

Merry Christmas,

Matt



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anchor House: Week 6 Buried Treasure

When I started at Anchor House I committed to write at least one blog per week. Writing is something I enjoy and a way I get to interact with God. I can recall wanting to write about Anchor House in the days before I started, but my knowledge was limited..  To be honest I felt like I knew three things before I joined Anchor House. First,  Anchor House was a mission at Port Manatee (the Seaport, not the jail) Second, I knew it was a mission that my church, Westside Christian Church, supported with our Show Love funds.  Third, I knew God was calling me to serve Him there. However, what happened at Anchor House day to day was something of a mystery to me.   After being here for a few weeks I have learned quite a bit. I know where to look to find out when ships are coming in or departing.  I have learned that I am just tall enough to hit my head where most seafarers don’t. I have learned that flexibility is the key to serving at a seaport. One of th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Anchor House Week 10: I Love It

This past week was week 10 at Anchor House. When I run into friends who I used to work with at State College of Florida or friends I haven't seen in a while, the first question is, "How do you like it?" I typically reply, "I love it." This week I've been challenged about that answer. It just won't do. It is too generic of an answer to truly describe what I am experiencing. It's too simple to describe the blessing of God working through you. It is too plain to explain the feeling of knowing you are right where God has planned for you to be.  I always thought I had purpose in my career. I know we are to worship God through the work He has provided for us to do. At times, however, the work I previously did seemed mundane and lacking purpose. I felt like I could do God's work where I was, but I had this feeling as if there was something more.  A week or so ago I was with one of our partner churches sharing how God works through Anchor H...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bold Like Stephen

I've always admired people who aren't afraid to be bold in their convictions.  It is the kind of boldness that allows them to stand out in the crowd. There is just something different about how these people view and engage the world around them.  The movie “Hacksaw Ridge” portrays a man that exemplifies what I mean by bold.  He was drafted to serve in World War II but refused to bear arms because of religious reasons. Yet, he still managed to receive the Congressional Medal of honor. Without a weapon in his hand, he saved 75 men in the Battle of Okinawa. Despite his objection to violence, he still served his country. Despite his objection to war he found a way to love his neighbor. He was bold.  When I think of bold in the Bible, I think of Stephen. Acts 6:8 says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people." Stephen faced opposition to his teachings. Those that opposed his teachings couldn't ...
Post a Comment
Read more