Advent Day Three

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus always liked being with people: He laughed with them, cried with them, grieved with them, challenged them, healed them, and loved them.  Jesus wasn’t afraid to get dirty among the people.  He touched the leper’s skin, hugged the prostitute, and ate with thieves.  Jesus gave the gift of Himself to others, which was a personal encounter with Him.  He didn’t keep people at a distance, instead, He loved them and embraced them.  

As we experience the season of Advent and reflect upon the many ways that Jesus gave Himself to us, one question we could ask ourselves is, “What does it mean for me to give more by giving of myself?” You can discover the answer to that by exploring this question, “Does what Jesus has done in your life change what you do in other people’s lives? Does the fact that Jesus has transformed you from the inside out have any kind of profound effect on anybody else?”

The gift of God was personal, He gave us His Son, Jesus.  And in turn, Jesus gave us a personal gift when He gave the gift of a personal relationship by modeling for us what it means to love people and meet them at the point of their need.  For many, this time of year represents memories of years past and the hope of memories to be made in years to come of time spent with loved ones.  When I think of Christmas, I think of the precious moments as a child, sitting at the feet of my grandfather as he read the Christmas story.  A tradition that is now carried on by my father as he reads the Christmas story to my children.  The Advent season for me represents the love of family and traditions that have been built on the collective hope that we as a family have found in Jesus.  Because of this, it would be easy for me, and others who treasure the memories of this season centered on love, to neglect to acknowledge the loneliness that others experience during this time of year.  The reality is that this season, for some, does not hold memories of the love of family or a connectedness to others that is centered on the hope of Jesus. 

For those that have experienced the love and hope of Jesus, the Advent season can serve as a catalyst that compels us to spread this love to those around us by

sharing the gift of Christ. How can we do this?  We simply follow the way of Jesus.  His gift of love to others often begins through the gift of being present in someone’s life at the moment of their greatest need.   Jesus brings peace, hope, and love to the weariest of souls because His very presence is the remedy for the loneliness and hopelessness that so often invades our everyday realities.

For those who have experienced the healing power of the presence of Christ, may we be keenly aware of the world around us and the value of sharing the gift of Christ by choosing to be present in the lives of those we come in contact with each and every day.