I Wish It Were Christmas

Giving…what a good word but what a hard thing to do.  You know what God says about giving?  It is better to give than to receive.  I like receiving but God has taken this receiver and turned my heart into a giver. I discovered that I cannot out give God, whether it is with my money, my time, my material goods …imagine that!     

I was about five years into my first marriage and I was in the Christmas Spirit.  I felt compelled to write a check to “The Christmas Mother’s Fund.”  I felt it was the right thing to do.  I gave a whopping $25.00 that year.  My conscience was cleared so I could enjoy the abundant Christmas I was going to have, from decorations to food, and of course, lots of presents. Whew!  Liked having that clear conscience!! 

I was privy to some information last week that ordinarily I wouldn’t have known.  I was informed that The Salvation Army was in need of food.  How can that be?  This organization was formed to help the needy…I mean the desperately needy.  I don’t mean, “I don’t have a brand new car” needy.  I mean the “If the Salvation Army has no food, I will go hungry tonight and so will my children” kind of needy.  How could this be with the amount of churches in our city who are supposed to be “doing God”?

My question in this week’s BLOG is how can we be letting this happen?  How can we let the food banks all over this nation even have to cry out to the city they are in for help with food?  Giving to help the needy is a basic principal in the Kingdom of God.  Jesus tells us “if you have done it unto the least of these you have done it unto Me.” I like doing things for the Lord.  He says, “Give and it shall be given unto you.”  Most people would say, “Well, what am I going to get from giving especially in the days we are in?” 

I see malls slowing down.  People’s hearts are afraid in the day in which we live but they don’t have to be.  People are plain ‘ole scared of what is coming.  They are tightening their fists when one of the greatest secrets in the Kingdom of God is to give, especially with a glad heart…not begrudgingly.

Well, I have a solution.  Why don’t we use some of the millions of dollars we are raising in the upcoming election and help the needy?  Millions upon millions of dollars are being raised and spent on advertising when we could take it and really make an impact on the homeless and needy. Isn’t that what the candidates are saying they want to do with it when they get in office?  Why not start the ball rolling now?

My heart is so burdened that we would even allow the Salvation Army to cry out in need to help feed people.  I believe that most of us want to help people don’t we?  Well, we have a local Salvation Army that needs our help.  If we carry the banner of Christ over our heart then why not make an effort to give now unto this need?

Tell you what …..why don’t we put our money where it will do some good instead of throwing it on airtime, slandering commercials and building the biggest sanctuary in town?  Did you overlook the scripture about backbiting? 

How can we possibly let our brothers and sisters go hungry in the society we live in today?  If you have a bed to sleep in tonight, clothes on your back and food to eat for dinner today, I challenge you to send a check to the Salvation Army to help get them back on their feet.  If we all just put in one dollar, what an impact we could make.

Ephesians 4:28  Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

You know it’s funny how people want to be a little nicer and give a little more at Christmas isn’t it?  Well, I say let’s have an early Christmas for people who just need food…. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas……

Yours in Christ,

Molly 

"The measure of a man is not measured in his bank account but in his heart.  What will your heart cause your hand to do?"    MP