Christmas shopping time

Thanksgiving always kicks off the Christmas shopping frenzy in America.
This Christmas our family decided not to exchange gifts; instead, we are going to adopt some folks who are less fortunate than us and provide their Christmas for them. We found a place called Eagles Boys Ranch located in North Georgia that houses abused kids. We asked Eagles Boys Ranch to give us Christmas lists for their boys and upon examination of them I was heartbroken. Each of the boys made a list of what they wanted “Santa” to give them. The boys all wear uniforms to school and they wear white socks with them. One of the boys asked for a pair of white socks. Another asked for a new pair of boxer shorts. Can you imagine? Not all asked for practical items like clothes. A few desired things such as a basketball, baseball glove and one wanted a video game, but for the most part their lists were very meager, each child asking for a bare minimum of one or two inexpensive items.

When I think about how God has blessed me and my family compared to these children, and some of the elaborate Christmas gift- giving “extravaganzas” that we have conducted in times past, I am ashamed. We have so much and they have so little. God has blessed us enormously. In fairness, I did not hit the lottery, I started out in abject poverty and combined God’s gifts and blessings with my own hard work. Anyone who knows me, understands that I work extremely hard, often putting in 16-18 hour days. I am not ashamed of having accumulated financial assets. I have taken the gifts that God has bestowed upon me and combined them with hard work. That is what the Bible instructs us to do. Now though, I have to ask myself a question. Did all of this occur just so I can live the rest of my life in luxury? Or, is there some other purpose? I firmly believe God wants us to enjoy the fruits of our labor and His blessings, but He wants us to give Him the “first fruits” of His blessings to His church and to be generous and to help those who are not as fortunate. I believe that he wants us to give IN A BIG WAY, and not just out of our excess.

Now it is time to take the result of God’s blessings and my hard work and put it all to good use. My goals in life changed from sole self-gratification, to finding ways to lend a helping hand to others.
Please believe me when I tell you that I am not writing this to make anyone think that I am a good guy. Just the opposite, I agonized over writing this because I strongly believe that you should not do good deeds for the purpose of trying to make others admire you. The Bible teaches us not to “let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” in this regard. It further teaches, if you give for the purpose of “braying” about it to others, then you have already received your reward for it and God wants no part of it. I prayed about it and just said to heck with it, people can think whatever they like, but I am writing this solely for the purpose of encouraging others to consider doing the same thing we are doing this Christmas. I reach a lot of people with WFTD and I am hoping that every one of you will seriously think about this. There are kids out there who would be very happy to just receive a pair of white socks for Christmas. You could be the person to make that possible.

One cannot out give God. He promises to reward you for everything that you ever do for Him. When we help the needy, sick and less fortunate, Jesus stated that we are helping Him. When we help Him, He opens the floodgates. Lest I forget, (and to prevent my pastor from chastising me for omitting this), the Bible plainly teaches that we should give 10% of our income to the church (“storehouse”) as a tithe. Our other offerings and “good works” to the Lord should be over and above that, not in lieu
of it.

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Mal. 3:10
“Bring all of the tithes into the
storehouse,
That there may be food in My
house,
And try Me now in this,”
Says the Lord of hosts,
“If I will not open for you
blessing
That there will not be room
enough to receive it.
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Matt. 6:1
“Take heed that you do not do
your charitable deeds before
men to be seen by them. Otherwise
you have no reward from your
Father in heaven.
Therefore when you do a
charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet
before you as the hypocrites do in
the synagogues and in the streets.
Assuredly I say to you, they have
their reward.
But when you do a charitable
deed, do not let your left hand know
what your right hand is doing,
that your charitable deed may
be in secret; and your Father who
sees in secret will Himself reward
you openly.

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