A Compassionate Christmas

Love as I have loved you. ~ Jesus

If you are popping over because you read my Encouragement for Today devotion, WELCOME! I am so glad to have you in my kitchen and I hope you will come back and visit often.

My sweet friends, during the Christmas season our hearts are filled with the hope of Jesus. It is a joyous time when we turn our hearts toward the reason we celebrate. What better way to celebrate the gift of Love and Hope than to love as He loves us?

No matter what your budget is, there is always a way to reach out with the hope of Jesus. The gift will remain long after you take down your decorations and vacuum up the pine needles. By making an investment from your heart, you are investing in eternity.

Here are some practical ways to implement God’s vision for the poor and the needy, and to share His vision with your children, neighbors, youth group, Sunday school class, small group, etc:

• Sponsor a child through Compassion International. I saw first hand the work Compassion International does and it changed my life. They are the real deal. Every penny goes exactly where they say it goes. I saw it first hand. And, I saw their genuine love for these children. After what I witnessed I knew I had to sponsor a child through them but I never thought I could fit it into my budget. But I did. For $38 a month, my support has provided Christ-centered life skills and friendships, educational opportunities, health care, food and nutritional supplements, hygiene training and most important, the opportunity to hear the gospel and learn about Jesus. Lattes and eating out one more time each month are nothing compared to the joy I get when I receive a letter from my sponsored child letting me know how happy he is and how much he loves Jesus. Instead of eating out, consider a family meal of chili, rice and beans, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, PB&Js, etc. Use the opportunity to pray for your sponsored child as a family and talk about why it’s important to share God’s heart for the poor. (SPECIAL NOTE: For every child sponsored this week through THIS LINK, $5.00 will be donated to Compassion’s Christmas Gift Program so that children without sponsors can receive a Christmas gift this year!)
• Bring dinner to a shut-in and stay and share the meal. Bring a tablecloth and a centerpiece to make it special. If you have children, have them make placemats, napkin rings or other decorations.
• Run errands for someone who is unable to run errands for themselves.
• Read to residents in a nursing home or retirement center.
• Bring Christmas to a shut-in, a needy family, nursing home, homeless shelter, etc. Bring a tree, decorations, cookies, music, hot cider or hot cocoa. Spend the day decorating, singing carols, and enjoying fellowship. This is a great idea for a family or small group.
• Serve dinner at a shelter on a regular basis.
• Fill backpacks for the homeless. Fill with toiletries, socks, inflatable pillow, first aid kid, gloves, and a Bible. Write a card to include with the backpack, letting them know that the gift is from Jesus. Also, when a group of homeless adults were asked what they really would like to have, their top two responses were a sleeping bag and socks.
• Collect socks, blankets, gloves and coats for the homeless.
• If you have children, have them go through their toys and books and choose some to donate, or sell in a yard sale and give the money to a charity that you choose together.
• Spend your family vacation on a mission trip.
• Bring Vacation Bible School to a poor neighborhood or a shelter. Bring crafts, lessons, decorations, substantial snacks, and treat bags for the kids to take home with them.

Other ideas that will help children develop a heart for the poor:

• Select a poverty-stricken area of the world and have your kids research the culture, geography, and language of the area. Prepare food from that region and talk about the situation during dinner. Have your kids share what they learned.
• Talk to your kids about the poor areas of the world and how God feels about the people who live there. Pray for them.
• One day a month, serve your family what a typical meal would be for a family living in a poverty-stricken area and talk about it during dinner.

If you have more ideas, please share them! I am so excited about your ideas that I am going to give a prize, through a random drawing, to one person who comments on this post. You have until the end of the day on Friday to share one way to reach out to someone in need. The prize package will include my Sharing Grace e-book, an autographed copy of Lysa TerKeurst’s brand new book “Made to Crave” (yes, I see the irony), and one of my very favorite CDs.

Friends, the holidays are a wonderful time to be God’s heart in action for the poor and the needy. There are several organizations that serve Christmas dinner and collect gifts for children that might not otherwise receive a gift. But please remember that these families are just as hungry, shut-ins are just as lonely, and children are sleeping on dirt floors every day of the year. Prayerfully consider how you might be able to make a difference and “love as He loves us” throughout the year.

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn