Opportunities to Spread the Christmas Spirit Extend into the New Year
The call came in early on Christmas morning, but I was not there to hear it. A woman’s
voice left a message on the church’s answering machine at about 7:30 a.m. “We’re a
family of five, and we have nothing to eat,” she said. “I was laid off, my husband lost his
job, and our three children are hungry. Is there anything you can do to help us?”
How does one say “No” to such a request? I quickly returned the call, doublechecked
the address, and loaded up a box of cereal, bread, peanut butter, jelly, Ramen Noodles,
and several cans of vegetables and fruit. I then left the church in search and headed to
their apartment. When I finally arrived, the couple came out to greet me, and they were
extraordinarily grateful, but I couldn’t help but wonder, if I did not respond to their needs, who would?
The moral of the story is that so often, there are people living in poverty right in our own
community. Not only can we not afford to look past them, it is also our call as Christians
to actively look for them. Jesus said, “whatever you do for these, the least of my
Brethren, you do unto me.”
My invitation to all of you in this new year, is to actively seek the downtrodden, and
reach out to them by providing assistance in any way you can, just as our Lord instructs
us to do. By doing so, we will find that the true Spirit of Christmas can last all year long.