Christmas is coming. In some ways, the joy and consistency of Christmas should be in our hearts and words all year long. What we do matters. You matter. Each smile that you give. Every truth you share with a child, a friend, a neighbor, and even your spouse. Each life you pour into. It matters.
Even when you feel everything is CRAZY 8’S and you are worn out. It matters. Each time you SHOW UP to be part of an opportunity to show kindness and God’s love. It matters. In a world where feelings fade and people change, Christmas is a beautiful reminder of the Savior who is ALWAYS the same.
Every person has a purpose, and I believe we are here on this earth at just the right time. We are needed in this place where we have been planted! The Bible instructs us to “be alert”. To keep our eyes and ears open to see who is around us and what is happening. How are we reacting to every day life? God looks at our hearts. Are we sharing love to all? Are we listening to other’s needs and becoming a friend they can talk to? We may need to change ourselves first before we can befriend another.
Interesting, isn’t it, that Christmas was just an ordinary night for many. The shepherds in Bethlehem were doing what shepherds normally did. In the very same place, they were grazing their flocks. Then right in the middle of their evening angels appeared! Proclaiming the birth of the Savior they had long awaited. God invaded their regular night, and they were blessed for being alert and responsive. I can only imagine how that one event changed their lives forever.
God gives us chances to matter in ordinary circumstances. Just “doing life”. He knows where to find us, and when He does, beautiful things happen. As I think about scripture, Zechariah, the priest, was performing his duties in the temple when the angel Gabriel appeared to him. The first disciples of Jesus were fishing when they were called to “follow Him”. It is OK to be yourself, in an ordinary setting of where your life takes place. No one else can be you. It is who you were created to be!
On an normal day last week, I was subbing in school. I happened to be working one to one with a young boy. In the middle of his reading out loud to me, he stopped and asked, “ Are you going to grandma’s for Christmas?” I smiled at him and told him I WAS the grandma! He had a little smile, turned back towards his book, and finished reading. Then, before he had to go back to his classroom, he gave me a hug. And he told me to have a good Christmas! I surely will try, and those moments with him will resurface when I do.
What you do matters. Even when you feel it doesn’t. Never forget the power of God and what He can do. You matter!
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