Christmas Light

Nelson’s Baker Street has never looked so “lit up.” Thank you City of Nelson. Christmas is all about lights. There are the lights on trees, the front lawn, around the house, but most importantly it is the light that shines in our hearts that makes Christmas special. For some that light is very dim or maybe non existent. Christmas isn’t always a time of “good cheer”, egg nog, and snuggles on the couch. For some it is very lonely, heartache and huge pressure. At Our Daily Bread, a ministry of Kootenay Christian Fellowship, we understand the paradox of Christmas. Therefore, while others might be doing last minute shopping or spending time in their cozy house, or attending a Christmas Eve service, we at Our Daily Bread will have the lights on and be preparing a scrumptious Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.

Not only that, 50 plus volunteers from every walk of life, will also be letting their light shine by helping to put on this event. We are so blessed to have all these volunteers come forward to make the Christmas Eve dinner happen for the 150 plus individuals that will be with us. But I ask, why do they do it? Why is that suddenly we feel like helping the poor. The reality is that we put on a meal 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. Why not volunteer in July or April? Why do we have so many volunteers for Christmas Eve that we have to turn people away? However, we struggle to have enough volunteers to support the daily lunch program the rest of the year? I am not complaining, but it might be good for us to examine our motives. The reason of the disparity might be that we find a certain joy in giving to the less fortunate at Christmas, but the rest of the year we have other things to focus life on. Joy is always present when we focus on others. The best part of Christmas for me is this emphasis on giving. When we give, whether it is our time, our presence (I did not say presents) or our personal resources to help others, the natural by product is joy. By our act of giving, light is shed abroad, and joy fills our heart. 

This Sunday, I am speaking about the blessing of Joy in the Christmas season. Another reason joy may elude us, is the presence of shame in our life. I will be sharing the answer to shame and the blessing of the coming Christ to bring confidence, peace, and abiding joy in our lives.