It’s the most wonderful time of year! The Christmas holiday recalls all sorts of joyous feelings and memories. Everywhere you go, people seem a little happier and a little friendlier, especially in the church.
For many of us, the biggest care on our minds is finding that perfect gift for a loved one. Seeing the look on someone’s face when they open my gift on Christmas is one of my favorite experiences of the holiday. I love being a blessing to my family, friends and brethren. Gift-giving demonstrates generosity and our love for one another. Sometimes we will never know the extent of happiness an act of generosity has had on someone’s life.
As Christians, we need to be looking for ways to bless our fellow man year-round (Heb. 13:16). That goes especially for our brethren, but also for those outside the household of faith (Gal. 6:10). We see in the book of Acts a great example of the value of a benevolent heart. In Chapter 9, verses 36-43, the Bible records the only mention of a woman named Dorcas. She was a disciple of Christ who had become sick and died. Peter was nearby and two disciples brought him to see her. There Peter found widows weeping and mourning over the body of their friend. Peter knelt and brought her back to life.
What was it about Dorcas that these men and women cared so much for her? Verses 36 and 39 reveal that she was a beloved member of the community who “was full of good works and charitable deeds” (v. 36). When news of her resurrection spread, the Bible says many were converted to Christ. As Christians striving to be the church that Christ died for, we rightfully spend a lot of time making sure that our worship reflects the pattern laid by Christ’s disciples. But, we must not forget to make sure we reflect their hearts in our charity. 1 John 3:17-19 tells us that we cannot shut up our hearts to brothers in need. “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him” (v. 17).
Let this holiday season start a new habit for yourselves. Let us go and look for opportunities to reflect the love of Jesus Christ to our brothers, sisters, and strangers. Speak to the church elders, community leaders, and to the less fortunate in your life and see where you can be a blessing. If we reflect the heart of Jesus Christ and His disciples more, how many souls might believe in our Lord? Let us “…be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Tim. 6:18).
Merry Christmas!