 |
Media & Resources
|
|
|
A CHRISTMAS CASTAWAY – Just Think About It! "Have you got a minute? Can you come downstairs and see something? It’s a miracle! You have to see this.” No I really did not have time to come downstairs but it was my wife who was asking. And besides, it was a miracle. What kind of preacher would I be if I refused to witness a miracle! How could I say no! Reluctantly, I followed her downstairs to the church lower auditorium where some of the ladies and men of our congregation were decorating for Christmas. There, standing stately in its entire glorious array was a 7ft. Christmas tree - beautifully trimmed and brilliantly reflecting its shimmering gleam off the newly polished floor. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Just an hour or so ago, the same people who were now singing the praises of this wondrous creation, were speaking disparagingly of this scrawny, artificial evergreen and were talking of throwing it out. "It’s old and full of gaps”, they said. "Let’s just get rid of it and buy a new one.” Transformed! That’s the word for it. With a little bit of tender loving care and creativity they actually transformed that ugly monstrosity into a thing of beauty. It truly was a miraculous transformation – from a human standpoint. Then my wife got real spiritual on us and began to draw a very interesting parallel concerning this tree and people. So often we are ready to give up on people who just don’t seem to measure up to our standards. They don’t act properly! They don’t dress right! They live a life style of which we don’t approve! They are a bit of a social misfit. Because of these things and so many other quirks, we are ready to throw them out; give up on them; cast them aside. However, with a little more patience, love, grace and understanding shown toward them, those who were once considered to be castaways have been transformed into unrecognizably beautiful people. Like that poor, old, damaged tree, all they needed was for someone to believe in them just one more time. They simply needed someone to say, "I’m not quite ready to give up on you just yet. Let’s try again.” This is the Christmas season and it offers us a great time of reflection. Christmas is a reminder to us that God has never given up on us. The loving patience of Christ is manifested to us in the great sacrifice of the incarnation of Christ. We were flawed and marred by sin. We did not measure up to God’s demand for holiness. However, He did not cast us out. He came to redeem us and to restore us to glorious fellowship with Him. Can you think of anyone you are ready to cast aside? Have you been working with them for a long time and seeing only negative results? Do they look hopeless to you? Has life and living taken its toll on these people? As those people took the time and made the effort to rearrange the branches and hang a few right decorations in the right places, so, maybe, just maybe, a great transformation can eventually take place in that less-than-perfect life. It sure makes good sense to me when I stop and Just Think About it. |
 |
|
 |