I was amused by my co-worker Tammy yesterday because although we're relocating to another building over the next couple of weeks, she has decorated her desk and the area around it for Christmas - complete with twinkling lights. Tammy is one of the 95% of Americans who celebrates Christmas and apparently, one of the 88% who decorates for the season and puts up a tree too.
While we all know that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, there are many people who observe Christmas that do not believe in or know who Jesus is. Sadly, only 65% of Americans attend religious services for Christmas.
There are also the folks who attend church on Christmas and Easter but don't attend any other time of year. My friend Naomi refers to them as "Chreasters". I have to wonder, if these are the statistics in the U.S., where we have religious freedom, how do the statistics compare in other countries?
As believers, we should remember to live Jesus' example for our lives by loving God and loving others. It's nearly impossible to convey God's love for us to someone who does not trust us. And trust begins with acts of love and kindness. Jesus' life was an illustration of how we can do that.
So here is my wish for you. There were two versions of Ebenezer Scrooge. The earlier version was not nice, he was greedy, and he was a hermit. The later version of Ebenezer was kind, generous and he cared for his family, his community, and the world around him. He had leaned to live out Jesus' illustration for our lives. I wish for all of us to be the second version of Ebenezer.
Let's take a challenge to spend the next 20 days to practice living Jesus' example for our lives. How many lives could we change by Christmas Day? I'll give some inspiration by sharing a verse from Luke 2 each day, as it tells the story of Jesus' birth.
Luke 2
New Living Translation (NLT)
The Birth of Jesus
2 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.
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