By JILL JOHNSON
I love Christmas. It's probably my favorite time of the year. I love the decorations, the music, the lights, and buying gifts for others. I will always love Christmas, but the older I get I realize there is also a sadness to this time of year for many.
I know for myself Christmas took on a different feeling when I lost both my parents. Even after many years, it still just doesn't seem to be the same. I also know that we can get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas that we can overlook those all around us who are dealing with hard things during this season.
Christmas really is about the miraculous birth of our Savior - the only One who can take away our sin. Knowing that you have Jesus in your heart also should allow all of us the ability to show kindness to everyone around us. It's our responsibility to look for those ways to just be kind. The definition of kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. To be kind, we have to be aware and stop long enough to see and hear what is happening with others around us.
I think about the retail workers. I am sure they could use a friendly word of kindness. We have no idea what these people are dealing with at home. They could be working in retail as a second job just to make ends meet. They could be struggling to buy gifts for their children or just to put food on the table. A kind and friendly word of encouragement, a compliment, a smile, or just a thank you might make a difference in how their day goes.
I know people who are trying to make ends meet. I have been there before as well. Kind and friendly gestures and words go a long way. Share the love of God through kindness.
We can also share kindness by being generous. I can still remember times when people I might not even know were generous to my family through anonymous gifts. Believe me when I say you feel the love of God through generosity.
When my children were little there were times when we took them to buy gifts for others. They wrapped them and gave them without others even knowing where they came from.
I can't help but think about the generosity of God. He loves us so much that he gave His one and only Son to save us from our sin. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Look around. Is there someone you know who is struggling? Is there an organization or program that you know you could donate to? Is there a family you could serve or help? I don't think it is hard to find people who need a little kind generosity. Again, share the love of God through kindness.
Another way to show kindness is through being considerate. When you are considerate, you are careful not to cause an inconvenience or hurt to others. To be considerate, you have to put others before yourself. Kind consideration says we look for needs that others might have. The Bible says "In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interest of others."
Kind consideration could be just letting the other person have the better parking space, putting someone ahead of you in a long line, helping someone carry their bags to their car, or just loading their groceries. There are so many ways to show kind consideration if we just look around.
Be aware of the needs of others around you. Share the love of God through kindness. This Christmas I want to focus on showing kindness everywhere I go and with everyone I meet. Won't you join me?
Let's pray to have the eyes of Jesus to see where the needs are, the ears of Jesus to hear His voice and follow, and the feet of Jesus to go where He would want us to go. What a difference we can make if we just share the love of God through kindness this Christmas!
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Jill Johnson, a staff member at the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, finds spiritual applications in her everyday experiences as a wife, mother, grandmother, and Georgian. She is available to speak to your church's women's gatherings. Reach her at jjohnson@gabaptist.org.
