I once said that Christmas is “a time for giving.” Is there really a “time” for giving? Aren’t we supposed to give when we can? Going back, what I failed to convey was that Christmas isn’t a “time” to do all these. It is but a reminder of our Savior, Jesus Christ’s birth. And what it had led to. Not to sound preachy, but Jesus came down to Earth to save us from eternal damnation. He gave his life and died on the cross for our sins. And because of this, all that is required of us is to accept Him as our personal Lord and Savior and that’s it!
So Christmas has now become a reminder of the beginning of Christ’s walk and mission and ultimately, Christ’s giving. Does the giving begin and end only during the Christmas holiday? No. It should be all year long. I have a teenager in the house. In July of this year, my wife and I decided to send him on a 5-day youth retreat up in the mountains. When we picked him up, he was on fire for Jesus! We were all very happy for him and with him. And then I realized how long his newfound feelings and emotions and excitement would last. Can 5 days carry the next 360 days? The answer is “no.”
It was then that I realized what the purpose of the retreat was. It was a period of reflection, rejuvenation, reassurance, rest and preparation for the next cycle. After my son’s 5-day retreat, my wife and I are now responsible to make sure he stays the course for the next 51 weeks until the next retreat, which means we have to help him keep his activities up all the time.
The same principle applies toward Christmas and the holiday spirit. We tend to be more giving and forgiving because it’s Christmas. And then after the holidays, people begin fighting and hating and breaking up and all. However, if we apply the Christmas spirit of giving and forgiving “all year round,” with the Christmas holiday being the culmination of your year long giving marathon, you’d be putting more value and appreciation to what Christ had done for you and I and for those who came before us and for those who are to come. Give all year long. You’re not required to give to everyone. But give to yourself, your loved one, your children, your parents and friends. Don’t just give love on Christmas day. Give love everyday! Merry Christmas to you!
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Paco Arespacochaga is a musician/songwriter for the award winning band Introvoys (www.introvoys.net). He is an Internet Marketing Consultant for ReachLocal ( www.reachlocal.com) and runs his own media company, 2heaven Media ( www.2heavenmedia.com). He is also a husband, a father and a friend. Read more of his thoughts by going to www.pacoarespacochaga.com and send him an email at pacointhehouse@gmail.comAdd this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites
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