'Tis the season for largely ignoring Jesus.
The first major ice storm made its way through most of the United States last night, and another one is coming. Millions of people are without power. Some, because the power lines went down.
And some, because they have nowhere to go, and no one really cares.
Does the phrase, "the least of these" ring a bell?
Sure, many of the homeless are there because they made really, really bad decisions in life, for drugs or alcohol or crime.
The least of these.
Many are there because of mental illness.
The least of these.
Many are there because of bad luck - especially inj the recent recession.
The least of these.
Relief organizations do their best. Do you give money to the Salvation Army, when you see their representatives standing in the cold, ringing a bell?
The government doesn't do enough. We pay taxes that are supposed to benefit all of us. I fail to see how a presidential golfing vacation benefits all of us. I fail to see how congressional offices with twelve-foot ceiling benefit all of us.
We can do something. We can give money, and even our time, to organizations that help.
We can vote for candidates who want to make sure that no American freezes to death on our streets. But when was the last time you heard a candidate put that on his or her platform?
But in the end, we can't shift the responsibility. The smallest and most damaged souls in our environs are still God's children, and our brothers and sisters. Ours. It's up to us.
So many of us look to the old movie, "It's a Wonderful Life" as symbolic of Christmas, and of the spirit of community. The townspeople rally to help George in his hour of darkness.
Who are you rallying to help?
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I love your "others-centered" focus, Andrew. With our boys, we are focusing on giving gifts to "the least of these" to say Happy Birthday to Jesus. The kids are each receiving one gift but the rest we've decided to give to organizations who help those who have nothing. It's been good for my heart to see our boys look through catalogs for the Jesus Film and for Samaritan's Purse and select gifts to give others.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, when we see a Salvation Army red bucket, we do drop in what we can to help out. Thanks for this thoughtful post.
What a wonderful tradition for your family! I wish more people were like you.
DeleteBarbara worked as a Salvation Army bellringer in Indiana before we were married. When I see one, I think of my wife, standing in the cold. I can't walk by.