The “You” Nobody Knows: Lost, Scared, Alone Forever?

“Grow up,” they told you– and so you did.

You grew and you grew until

one day you were paying your own bills and

doing your own laundry and

making your own way.

You grew and you grew

and you grew

but still you had the strange sensation that

you were still a child

living in a grown person’s body–

lost,

scared,

alone,

pretending to have it all together

all of the time.

* * *

Until one day–

“Child,”

comes a voice,

“You were never meant to navigate

this ocean-of-a-world on your own.”

And the moment you hear it

in your ears and in your heart

you know that it is true.

And slowly, peacefully

comes the sense you’re being rocked

softly, tenderly,

in the arms of one who cares.

You close your eyes

and finally,

there is rest.

Finally,

you are known.

You are safe.

You are loved.

Finally.

It’s this moment that you’ve been missing for an eternity

and yet have never been missing at all.

* * *

“Child,”

says the voice,

“When was the last time you allowed me to hold you?”

For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13

Christmas Time

Sadness lined the wrinkles of a father,

His head hung low as he stood with his family waiting to see Santa.

His heart sank as he listened to his children whisper their Christmas wishes,

Knowing full well that they would not receive what they wanted from Santa

As they walked away, his head hung lower

Wishing for a true Christmas miracle, to save his family from the poverty,

That poverty that has now grown on his heart.

A tear he held back from his blue colored eyes,

This is why he never truly loved Christmas time.

Christmas and its intended recipients?

As the holidays approach, many of us are increasingly aware of our budget limitations. We nod at the hope Retailers offer through early bird incentives, knowing its just not enough for Christmas this year. There’s an acute national sense that we just won’t be able to give as many Christmas gifts (or as expensive ones) this year.

But wait a minute. This isn’t what Christmas is about at all. Spending lots of money one another in order to have lots of things we don’t need. The original Christmas was quite the opposite. In Christmas, God poured out his deepest wealth to those of neediest poverty. He brought the gospel to the poor. Jesus’ birth was prophesied, delivered, and honored by the poor (Luke 1-3). When he was grown, baptized and ready to begin his ministry, he announced that his greatest gift, the gospel, would be for the poor. How did we get so far away from the actual gift of Christmas and its intended recipients?

Jesus was sent and anointed by the Holy Spirit to “preach the good news to the poor” (Lk 4:18-19). Following this tremendous sermon, Jesus immediately began to care for the poor (a word that head several lists of marginalized people in Luke). He came to preach and to prove the gospel to the socially marginalized: a mentally ill/demon possessed man and Peter’s mother-in-law who had a high fever. The Gospels chronicle Jesus’ joint ministry of preaching and proving the gospel, of announcing the age of salvation and accomplishing physical/spiritual salvation among the marginalized. But was this call unique to Jesus? Must all Christians care for the poor? Is it the responsibility of the Church or individuals?

What to Give for Christmas
The Gospel shows us that God gave the most expensive gift to the least likely recipients. It reminds us that God poured out his deepest wealth to those who had very little. When we miss this, we become the poor, those who mistake many gifts for the meaning of Christmas. God calls both the individual and church to Christlike love and generosity. How can you recover the meaning of Christmas this season? Instead of hunting for early bird specials, look out for the poor, the marginalized. And don’t just give them materialism. Give the gospel hope that lasts well beyond the latest fashion and fading Disney toys.