The Spirit of Christmas

I know that this isn’t news to you, but we have entered the Christmas season once again.  One of the many things that my wife and I enjoy about this time of year is the flurry of good, clean Christmas movies that are abounding throughout the 200 or so channels on our satellite TV service.  Needless to say, I have to closely manage the storage on the DVR so that I can keep up with Hollywood’s latest releases!  (I’ve actually noticed that many of the movies are coming out of Canada.)

While many of these movies come from the secular standpoint of Santa and his Christmas magic, most tend to portray the importance of reaching out to the needy, having the Christmas spirit and reviving our childlike faith for believing in the impossible.  I guess you could simply refer to them as “feel good movies!”  And that is exactly how people want to feel during the holiday season.  They want to remember a happy past, pleasant times and have a hope for a positive future.  It is a time when people are most open to the Good News of Jesus Christ, because whether they will admit it or not, the majority of folks will agree to some connection between Jesus and the biggest holiday of the year.

That is why our words and actions of love are especially critical for the next 3 weeks or so!  It is easy to discover a multitude of opportunities to bless people around you.  I challenge you to keep your eyes open to those needing a little word of encouragement, neighbors who would be blessed by a dish of homemade cookies, the sales clerk or cashier who desperately needs a kind word of thanks for their long hours of putting up with the rushing horde of customers, or your kids teachers, your Pastor, your postal carrier or anyone else who serves your needs throughout the year.

God gave His best on Christmas, it is only right that we follow in His footsteps and give the best of ourselves to those around us.  Have a Blessed weekend.  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What BLESSING am I expecting to GIVE to SOMEONE today?”