Tuesday, December 25, 2018

A Generous Christmas

I have vivid memories during Christmas especially of my father’s generosity. As a boy, my father didn't have much. His parents survived the Great Depression & he was raised at the head of the holler, in the Appalachian mountains. What he lacked in material blessings he made up for in the amount of love & generosity he experienced in his home. 

I am a witness to the empathy my father has to those in need. Other people seem to sense it too. Neighbors & strangers have come out of nowhere & walked right up to my dad as if guided to him by a Heavenly hand. 
I remember one particular Christmas, dad knew about a family that was having a hard time. He loaded up our car with groceries & presents to make sure that family was cared for.  
That was just one example out of many, I witnessed growing up. Dad just seemed to be able to discern where true needs were. It’s the way he’s lived all these years. 
Sadly we live in a day where some people steal what you’re giving away. For example, if the church is giving away turkeys for Thanksgiving, (one per family) some people will sneak & take more than their share without even blinking while doing it. They take from others, disregard the rules & steal. That is the difference between need & greed. 
There will always be people who work the system, know how to pull on your heart strings & mooch off of everyone...but even still...may we remain generous in spirit. God will show us who to help & who is helping themselves. 
My father is a generous man with a giving heart. He believes the best in people & gives them the benefit of the doubt. I’ve seen him share whatever he has everywhere he’s went & discover the true joy of Christmas.
This year, I encourage you to discover the true joy of Christmas by sharing what you have with others. Maybe you aren't in a position to buy someone groceries & presents, but you have something you can give. Even a word of encouragement can mean the world to someone who needs to hear it. Just keep your heart open & look for ways to be a blessing. Let God use you in a special way this Christmas & every day of the year!
"A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25