December is the season of celebration for Christians all over the world. We put in a lot of effort to prepare for Christmas. We decorate our homes with Christmas trees, lights and stars, we exchange gifts, and prepare special food and delicacies. During Christmas programs in our churches, Christmas Father appears spreading laughter and distributing sweets to children. In some other parts of the world like Europe and America, there is also the myth of Santa Claus coming on Christmas to fill stockings with gifts for children. Recently I heard a story where, when a child was asked about the importance of Christmas, he came up with a very apt answer: Christmas was the birthday of Santa Claus!! For the child, the most important person talked of and remembered during Christmas was Santa Claus!
We Christians should not forget the importance of Christmas
day - The birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus, though He was also God, gave up His
heavenly abode to descend among us sinners in the form of a helpless human baby
and grew up as a common carpenter’s son. He endured hardships and overcame all
temptations common to man, preparing Himself to be a sinless sacrifice for the
remission of our sins. Christmas day is the ultimate manifestation of God’s
love for humankind.
We recognize God’s love for us in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten
Son so that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God loves us so
much that in order to make us worthy to spend eternity with Him in heaven, He
gave up His Son Jesus to be sacrificed for our sins. Are we grateful for this “agape” – sacrificial
love of God for us? In return, God only desires for us to love Him through His
son Jesus by obeying His commands joyfully and living a life pleasing to Him in
faith. How do we live a life pleasing to Him?
Genuine faith is shown by love for God through our actions. We are
created to do good works (Ephesians 2:10). When we see someone in need, should we only pray
and tell them to have faith in Jesus? Would it be pleasing to God? Definitely
not. Our faith is not sincere if we do not help to meet his needs also. As we
read in (James 2:20) faith without works is dead.
Jesus when on earth, not only taught about how to live a life
pleasing to God, but also showed His love by doing good and helping others. We
are also expected to do the same. We need to share the gospel of Christ to
others and also express our love by helping those in need. We are to be
faithful to use the blessings God has given us, our health, time, wealth, talents,
or any other resources, to share and bless those around us. He has entrusted
these to us not to keep to ourselves but to use them to benefit our fellow
beings also. Whatever we possess are a blessing from God. He is our source. There
are so many ways in which we can help others. Even the way we talk or smile or
acknowledge others, making them happy is a blessing. Sometimes people just need a listening ear to
ease their anxiety. Calling or visiting
someone who is going through a tough time, giving them encouragement and showing
our support would be a great help. If we say we love others, but do not express
it by our actions, then it is meaningless.
The greatest
commandment Jesus gave us is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul,
and mind and the second commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Jesus then goes on to say, in these two commandments hang all the law and the
prophets. (Mathew 22: 37-40) When we
love God, we will also be able to love others. When we love others we will not
harbor ill will, malice or any other evil intentions in our hearts which will
harm them, thereby keeping all the other commandments.
Bible says, without love, our charity, fasting or any
hardship we claim to do for God, in front of the world is worthless. In 1 Corinthians 13: 3-8, Apostle Paul
reveals the kind of love God desires us to have for one another
If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres
Love never fails.
God does not love us
because we are good or worthy, in the same way let us also love others, those
who are good to us as well as those who hurt us.
This Christmas, let us pray to God to give us a heart to love others as God loves us. Let us love God by loving others through our actions, by helping those who are in need and being kind and compassionate to those around us. Let us focus more on giving of ourselves and less on our own pleasures and comfort.
May God bless us all and bestow His grace and mercy on us to live a life reflecting His glory.
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