GOD Bless us, every one!

Christmas, 1998. How does that go now?... "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." Yea, that's it. Best of times, worst of times. A good description. For so many it is indeed the best of times. We are truly blessed here in the good old USA. We have the best education, the strongest economy, the most advanced health care system, the best nutrition, and, on average, the highest standard of living in the world. Even our poor live in what many would consider luxury. We have none of the famines felt in Africa, none of the turmoil of Eastern Europe, and we are untouched by the wars of the Mid-East. We know no sorrow, we are Blessed.

But there are those, even here in the land of promise, who have missed out on the American dream. They are not partakers of the fruits of the land. They are not part of our joyous world of plenty. You see them every day. On the street corner, in the alley, walking slowly down the sidewalk. We tend to look the other way, hurry on to our business. We have no time to see their world, or we choose not to see. Their world is harsh, they are Refugees, just as if they were in Uganda or The Gambia. They are the least, the last, the lost. Without home, job, family, comfort, or basic LIFE as we know it. They have fallen through the cracks in the American Dream and are in a living nightmare. To them these are indeed the worst of times.

They have been with us always, those who just can't seem to get on board the ship of state. They have been reviled by society and pittied by those of benevolent hearts. Scrooge asked "are there no prisons, are there no work houses?" Many today feel the same. These poor outcasts of our opulent society stir something inside of us... It's called guilt.

When we see a human being lying in the street, or under a cardboard hut, we know inside that our bellies are full, our homes are warm and our beds are comfortable. Immediately our conscience stirs and we begin to defend ourselves. "I work hard for what I have", "If I tried to support all these people my family would starve", and my personal favorite <nr> "God helps those who helps themselves". And Scrooge said of the destitute "let them die and decrees the surplus population". HELLO?! How about "There but for the Grace of GOD go I"? Forget the guilt, forget the rationalizing. No, you can't feed all the hungry people in the world. No, starving your kids to give to the needy isn't it either. So what do you do? What would Jesus do? LOVE. ??????

Oh that's simple. Yes it is. Love those that GOD brings across your path. Don't look away and slink off into your little world of guilt, self pity and denial. Embrace a fellow child of GOD. Do what you can to relieve their suffering, use the gifts GOD has given you. Talk to them, share Christ, buy them a cup of coffee, treat them as fellow human beings (they are you know). Maybe you are working hard just trying to get by, you can't afford to adopt some crackhead. He doesn't need you to adopt him, LOVE HIM. Jesus does. Tell him that. Buy him breakfast and share the Gospel with him.

i'm not talking some radical 'save the world' stuff here. This is Christianity 101. LOVE. Yes it can seem radical (if you are not saved), and it can definately save the world, but this is real basic. If we only love those who love us, and bless those who bless us, we are doing nothing. Find the dirtiest, grungiest, street urchin around and give them a hug and you are just getting started. Jesus didn't ask for your money, he wants your heart. And where your heart is, your treasure will be also. Sending a check to the local shelter isn't love, it's a tax write off. Love the Homeless and you'll send the check. You'll probably deliver it yourself while you are there volunteering.

Christmas is a time of great Joy, as it should be, but it is also a time of great need and sadness. It doesn't matter if you are a millionaire or on food stamps, there is someone out there less fortunate than you. Be a blessing to that person. Love the unloved, feed the poor, cloth the naked. That is what our Lord commanded His people.

LOVE is what Christmas is all about. "For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotton Son,". GOD loved us first. He didn't wait for us to clean up and get a good job. He came right down with us, and embraced us where we were, with all of our ragged clothes and matted hair. We were homeless and He gave us a home, naked and He clothed us.

"Merry Christmas Mister Scrooge,

and GOD bless us every one"