Romans 12:15, HCSB
Deuteronomy 16:13-15, HCSB
Christmas is, for many people, a time of celebration: A time to spend with family, to exchange gifts, to meet with friends, and to consider many one's blessings.
For others, it's a bleak reminder of what they don't have. It may be hard for some Christians to understand, but Christmas can be something to dread rather than look forward to.
I posted the verses quoted above to ask our community to consider the "foreign resident, the fatherless, and the widow" this Christmas. It's not my intention to dampen the joyful atmosphere of Christmas, but rather to further enrich the holiday by encouraging fellow Christians to step outside their comfort zone--complete with family, friends, and holiday traditions--to watch for and include those without the same blessings.
And for those who dread Christmas: Take heart. The Savior we celebrate this season was delivered far from comfort and wealth, far from his mother's home, and heralded by shepherds (considered social outcasts by many, if my understanding of the culture of the time is correct) and foreigners. Even if the world seems indifferent and disconnected, take hope that God is "a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows" (Psalm 68:5).
The goal of our faith is not our own comfort. Our faith is not exclusive to people with large families, wealth, or fortunate circumstances. It is not reserved for select tax brackets or cultures. Our faith and our God is much, much larger than that. It is we who so narrowly define Christianity and it is we who, through Christ's empowering strength, can live out its true character.
