Then He said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions." Luke 12:15 (NIV)
Seeing my former third graders rear children of character
remains one of my greatest joys. Recently a dearly-loved former third grader
told me of her preteen daughter’s Christmas list.
“Miss Gates, she has on her Christmas list – a Clydesdale horse, a pig,
chickens, a chicken coop. That’s all! She only put the Clydesdale on her list
since she had such a great time driving a wagon pulled by one recently.” (Her mother had been wheedling her to add more items to her wish list so this preteen added the thing that was most on her mind - the Clydesdale horse!)
Her mother reminded her the baby chicks that she wanted would thrive
better in the springtime near her birthday. The bright young lady thought the chickens and
the chicken coop would be perfect birthday gifts. She still could not think of anything else
she wanted.
How convicting! This preteen’s list consisted of a pig for developing
her livestock showing skills and chicks to raise into hens so she could gather
farm-fresh eggs for her family. The chicken coop she requested showed she
was thinking of the safety of the poultry she wanted. She had already acquired
an unselfish attitude toward life.
I hope I can emulate this middle schooler’s focus on desiring things
in my life that will enrich the lives of others – not just myself. This
sacrificial outlook in our lives mirrors the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus
laid aside the power of His position in heaven as the only begotten of the
Father and confined Himself to a human body to come to earth. The impetus for
His decision sprang from His desire to redeem us. He became sin for us that we
might become righteous through His death.
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| Christmas Ornament Given by Sandy Batschlett, my friend and my teaching assistant in 2002-2003 at Woodland Elementary School in our third grade classroom. |
May my Christmas schedule of activities be motivated by reaching out to others to reflect the love of Jesus. I hope to choose between events that will exalt the Savior of Christmas and give the gift of my presence to encourage others instead of merely indulging myself.
What does your Christmas list or schedule reveal? Let’s make it about
Him and others instead of ourselves.
A Few Suggestions:
- Listen to Christmas Carols or Songs that Uplift Jesus
- Read Matthew 1:18-25
- After reading the above passage, meditate on the faith and trust that Joseph must have had.
- Read Luke 2:1-20
- Following the reading of the above verses in Luke, think about being in the stable that night.
- Reflect, while looking at beautiful Christmas lights, on the wonder and joy of the shepherds when told of the birth of the Savior, Christ the Lord.
- Read Isaiah 9:6-7
- Attend a program or concert that specifically honors the birth of Jesus.
- Sit quietly a few minutes while reflecting on the miracle of God becoming a human baby for the explicit purpose of dying for sinful humans.
I've always been fascinated by the shepherds story. Someone had to stay back and watch the flock while the rest of the crew got to go to the stable. Sometimes it's important to remember the one who got left out. I think, from your list, you understand that.
ReplyDeleteD. Harris