Christmas is a wonderful time of year for most people, but certainly not for all. This is a very difficult time for those who are lonely, depressed, or who feel as if they are “on the outside looking in.” I’m thinking of those who are bereft of family; those who dread a family get-together when relatives are in the same room; those who have lost loved ones whom they especially miss at Christmas … The list of those who find Christmas a painful time of year is longer than most of us realize.
So what do we do? We expand the boundaries of our concern and sacrifice. We obey the words of Scripture and take Jesus as our example, “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Jesus Christ…” (Philippians 2:4–5, italics mine). What follows is a description of the voluntary humiliation of Jesus.
This Christmas we can all fill the empty, bring joy to the sad, and give hope to the depressed. We are the agents of Christ to a world that knows not where to turn with the disappointments and pain of life. We are the hands and feet of Christ; we are all called, not just to our own little world, but the wider world that needs to be uplifted at this time of year. Share Christmas with someone who needs your companionship and love.
All for the King,
Pastor Lutzer