Throughout the month of December, the Nugget will be featuring articles focused on important lessons in our Spiritual walk that we can learn from Christmas. This 11 part series features several different authors, but the focus is the same: How can the celebration of Christ’s birth help us in our daily walk with Christ? Today’s lesson is from Joseph J. Mazzella…
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Heb. 13:16 ESV)
It was a cold, Winter’s day many years ago. Christmas was just a few short days away and I was walking into a store to try and stretch the few dollars I had in my wallet into Christmas presents for my children. I looked through the aisles in the store hoping to find something they wanted that I could afford. I tried to remember the childhood Christmas presents that I liked the best when I was a boy but for the life of me couldn’t think of a single one. What I did remember was me and my brothers sitting under the tree carefully looking for packages with our names on them. I remembered my Mom’s sweet smile as she watched us. I remembered Dad’s loud laugh as we struggled to rip off the wrapping paper. I remembered my Nana’s happy, high-pitched “Hello” as she walked over to join in the fun. What I remembered was being thought about and cared for. What I remembered was the love. I knew then that any gifts that I picked out would be good because I was giving them with all the love in my heart.
I realized something else too. In this life the gifts you give at Christmas aren’t that important. It is the gifts you give every single day that are important. It is the smile you share when you see someone you love. It is the kind acts you do when you think no one is looking. It is the gentle words you say. It is the hugs you give. It is the encouragement you pass on. It is the prayers you offer up for another. Every day of our lives there are countless gifts we can give, limitless love we can share, and so much joy we can create. In truth, everyday can be Christmas day if we only choose to make it so.
God loves us so much. I think this life is God’s gift to us, and how we live it is our gift to God. Live it with love then. Make it the greatest gift in the world. And have a very Merry Christmas every single day of your life!
Joseph J. Mazzella
(To access the entire “Lessons From Christmas” mini-series, please click here.)