Thursday, December 9, 2010

Businesses & Christmas Blessings?


   A few weeks ago, I was having a discussion with a group of ministry leaders over lunch. During the discussion, one of them mentioned an unexpected call from the bank offering him a lower mortgage rate as a good faithful customer. That conversation spoke of two things to me: 1. The banks have more bad customers than good ones and 2. Banks want to keep good customers and reward them before they look elsewhere and doing it during ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ speaks well to people. CHRISTMAS!  

   Yesterday, I received my own business offer to skip a monthly payment on my van for either December or January as a customer who has not missed a payment. It made me think of the mortgage offer of my colleague, as well as the blessing it was meant to be at Christmas time to help relieve pressure for faithful customers who might be feeling the pinch during the holidays.

   We see more needs and charity acts of benevolence during Christmas than at any other time of the year. Why?  Because many remember the most charitable act of all when God gave His only begotten son to be a sacrifice for the sins of mankind. At Christmas we remember a special baby born over 2000 years ago. This baby is the Savior, who was divinely incarnated into the womb of a virgin girl. Wow!  If this same act of God were to have happened today in a single woman many would try explaining it away with artificial insemination. God’s timing is always best.

Even in bad economic times those in business seem to be catching the spirit of blessing others even if it is only the faithful ones they bless.  I never see these offers in the spring, summer or fall and I believe this is all reflected because God gave His Son Jesus.  Blessing others with relief, charity and unexpected benevolence in the name of Jesus is what Christmas is all about. May we remind others now with unmerited acts of charity as we recall our unmerited salvation offer from heaven. Many today are hurting and jobless and will not likely be the recipient of a business blessing like noted above, but perhaps you could catch the purpose of Christmas and bless others as Christ has blessed you.

 Who do you know that you could bless with perhaps paying a power bill or filling up the tank of gas along with yours at the pumps? and then just saying: Merry Christmas!

May we all catch the Spirit of Blessing others as Christ is our Blessing to whomsoever would receive!  I received His gift and now let us give Him away and a blessing that speaks of Him.