Christmas Is About People

Tears started welling up as I heard my sister tell me about a friend of hers that committed suicide this week. Yes, the week before Christmas this thirty-two year young woman with three precious girls took her own life. I could feel my heart bursting for those innocent little girls. The mayhem that this decision made will echo for a lifetime in the lives of those closest to this woman. Questions like “Why?”, “How did it come to this?”, “Why didn’t we see this coming?”, and dozens of other questions will be asked.

Christmas is a difficult time for many people. Unfortunately, too many of us see Christmas as sending out the “perfect Christmas card,” putting up the “perfect Christmas decorations,” making certain the Christmas desserts appear perfect on that decorative plate for the upcoming Christmas party, and other mainly trivial items surrounding Christmas.

Christmas is about people. It always has been. Jesus was sent by God for people like you and me. To save us from our sins. To rescue us from our depravity. He was not sent so we could celebrate His birth. Oh, yes, I celebrate His birth and encourage others to do so. But when the celebration becomes about the peripherals instead of the Promised One, when the focus becomes the food and not the folks, when the parties supplant the people at the parties, we have become off-kilter in our celebration of Christmas.

There are people you know right now that need to hear hope from someone in their life. That someone might be you. Of all of our friends, who is it that needs an encouraging word today? Perhaps a heartfelt text expressing your love and admiration. Maybe just sending a $5 DD gift card electronically letting them know you appreciate them. Would you stop right now and ask the Holy Spirit to bring the right person to your mind that you need to invest in? It might just be the thing they need before they take drastic measures that will leave a wake of woe in their path during Christmas.

Christmas is about people. Quit worrying that you can’t measure up to anyone else’s Christmas cards, Christmas cookies, or Christmas parties. All of those things will be forgotten in a couple of weeks. What won’t be forgotten is the time you took to reach out and speak life into the lives of those who need. As a well-known preacher once said, “Be kind to everyone; for everyone is going through a tough time.”

Christmas is about people. Be like Christ this Christmas season and invest in people. He did that His entire life leaving Hope for all those who came behind Him.

Oh, and pray for those three little girls ages 8, 5, and 2. They need a lot of hope right now.