Excitedly I said to my wife, as I stepped through the door of the parsonage, "Tomorrow I get to play Santa Claus!"

"What did the mission committee talk you into doing this time?" She smiled. "Do they have a red Santa suit for you to wear? Do they need someone to fill in for Santa at the Mall?"

"No, I'm going to have to wear my heavy sheep skin coat and my snow boots. We're going to deliver the gifts that the church collected for the Salvation Army Adopt A Family program."

The next morning, three committee members loaded the baskets of toys into our station wagon and drove through a heavy snow storm to call on several families living in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

We pulled up in front of a dilapidated duplex, stomped the snow off our boots, and trudged up a long flight of stairs. Before we could knock on the door, a three year old boy yelled, "Mommie, the Jesus people are here!" and flung open the door.

The apartment was dark. Plastic was taped over the windows, the blinds were pulled down. Everything was blue. There were blue Christmas lights on a fake silver Christmas tree, and strings of blue lights outlining the door and windows.

Three young kids gleefully put the gifts we had brought under the Christmas tree. Their mother timidly asked, "Would you like some tea?”

The apartment was cold. As she handed us our tea cups, the steam rose almost to the ceiling. There was an awkward moment of silence. Then the young woman burst into tears. "My husband walked out on me six weeks ago. I have nothing! Nothing but my kids to take care of."

Next, a quiet young man with long black hair that reached down to his belt opened the door. The flat was clean and well lit, but there was no Christmas tree; no decorations. When he saw our overflowing basket, the young Native American's eyes lit up. "I worked for a landscaper, but was laid off in September. Then my wife died of cancer in October. I just didn't have a heart for Christmas. I didn't think anybody cared. I have four children. Maybe now, I can go out with them and get a Christmas Tree.”

Finally, we pulled up in front of a two room shack, with Christmas lights around the door, and yellow ribbons in the bushes. A boy opened the door. Two children were sitting on the lap of a middle aged man, squealing, "Daddy! Daddy! Look!"

"Well, I declare," the bald headed man chuckled, "All I wanted was to be home for Christmas. I just got out of prison three days ago. And, now here you come along!. You -- you've helped me believe that I can be a family man and start my live over again.”

At Christmas time, we all have a unique opportunity to bless and stand by the poor, those whose families are broken, those who are sick, those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and especially those who need encouragement to start their lives over again. Christian giving is not about playing Santa Claus, It's about being “Jesus people” and blessing those who need to be blessed.

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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