Don’t worry, I’m not going to go on a rant on the evils of materialism and commercialism, the oppression of our government towards Christians during the Christmas season, or the increasing epidemic of voluntary credit card debt during the aforementioned holiday……………..this time. Nope, instead I want to curb your attention to one of the positive aspects of Christmas in the evangelical world. This positive aspect is the fact that Christians seem to focus their attention, efforts, and resources towards the needy more so at this time of year than any other time. And to this trend I say, bravo!
For once, our evangelical community is doing something right. It seems like we followers of Christ do an exemplary job of showing His love to the less fortunate during our holiday season. From serving in soup kitchens to holding coat drives, churches really seem to outdo themselves in watching out for the needy during a time that could potentially be very disheartening for someone who has very little.
Here are a few examples of some of the great charity-driven efforts during the Christmas season (starting with some of our good ol’ Southern Baptist traditions, of course):
- The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering – This Southern Baptist initiative raises money that goes directly to the International Mission Board. This special offering goes unfiltered directly to the front lines of the kingdom of God in supporting foreign missions and the spreading of the name of Jesus Christ. The convention-wide goal for this year’s offering is set at $175 million. Last year our convention raised $145.6 million and in 2009 we raised $148.9 million. Wow! It’s pretty amazing what our combined efforts can do.
- Operation Christmas Child – Every year Franklin Graham’s organization, Samaritan’s Purse, sends thousands of shoe boxes oversees filled with toys, school supplies, and other various gifts. These gift-filled shoe boxes are distributed world-wide to children who would never have gotten a single gift for Christmas otherwise. Bibles and other helpful Christian literature are also included in these boxes. I filled and donated a shoe box this year for a child in India and it’s pretty amazing to think of the smile that will form on that small child’s face when he opens it up in a few weeks.
- The Salvation Army – This Protestant-based organization has been around for a long time. They’re probably best-known for their red kettles found outside retail stores during the Christmas season. Countless volunteers don Santa Claus hats and hand bells in preparation for standing in the frigid December winds every year without fail in hopes of raising money for those less fortunate than themselves.
- Angel Tree – This project of Prison Fellowship gives Christmas gifts and shares the Gospel message with many, many children whose parents are currently in prison. They are shown love in a way that their parents are unable or unwilling to do. Even these often-times forgotten children can still have joy in Christmas.
- And of course we can’t forget the innumerable soup kitchens, rescue missions, food pantries, and homeless shelters that are slam-packed during the holiday season. Many of these organizations exist for the sole reason of providing immediate help as well as eternal help to the needy.
This list is far from exhaustive so let’s give ourselves a pat on the bat for once and find encouragement in the fact that many Christians have not forgotten the true message of Christmas – which is the arrival of the King of kings, our prophesied Messiah, in the form of a newborn baby. I’d also like to encourage you to think of how you can share the love of Jesus with the less fortunate around the world this December. There is an abundance of ways to give and an endless amount of children to receive. How will YOU purpose to bring a smile to someone in need this December 25th?
