Let God Stir Up Your Holidays

 
A few years ago I was signed up to ring the Salvation Army bell. I decided to read over the Christmas story in the Bible before I left the house. I noticed that the Christmas story is not just about the birth of Jesus. It is about the people whom God "stirred up" to bear witness to the event. In the Gospel of Luke, Angels appeared to some shepherds, and sent them running into the city of Bethlehem to see the child. In the Gospel of Matthew an unusually bright star appeared in the sky and stirred up Wise Men from the East to come looking for Jesus. When they saw the star hovering over the house where Jesus was living they "rejoiced exceedingly with great joy," and "opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh."

I snapped my Bible shut saying, "It sounds like those three Wise Men were really stirred up and having a lot of fun - rejoicing exceedingly, with great joy!"

A few minutes later I was standing outside Wal-Mart in my snowsuit with my wife and son, ringing the Salvation Army bell. I started singing "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" and it started snowing. We were freezing, but it was fun singing Christmas carols.

The people going in and out of the store did not look very happy. Some parents were yelling at their kids, even swatting them. Some men were crabbing at their wives. But most of the shoppers passed us by in silence, refusing to smile or even to look at us.

But then a man came up and poured a mug full of change in the kettle, saying, "Bless you, bless you!" A group of five people joined in and sang a few carols with us before they went into the store. By the end of the evening more than 50 people had smiled, and said "Merry Christmas," as they made their donations. Many of them were young. Most looked pretty poor. And, I got to hear at least three salvation stories and one story of a miracle healing. I went home feeling amazed by the people God had stirred up to approach us.

Are you stressed out in your preparations for this holiday season, running into and out of stores without a smile? Or do you feel that God is with you like the Wise Men did?. What is God stirring you up to do? Is your light turned on? If not, what would it take to put a spark in your eye and a smile on your face as you go about your business.

Tis the season to be jolly. Let God stir you up. Do what It will take to have a Merry, Merry Christmas!

Dr. Greene is an ordained minister of the United Church of Christ and a resident of Richmond, IN. He is also the author of Benjamin's Dog Joseph, Feeling Better: The Wisdom of the Doc, You Can Feel Better: How to cope with chronic pain and physical disabilities, and co-author of Walking Free: the Nellie Zimmerman Story.

For further information about his books, please visit www.densmorereid.com

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