Christmas Bubble

Did you know that 80-85% of the world’s wealth is enjoyed by 5-10 % of the world’s population? As Canadians we are living in a protective bubble that other people in the world can not even begin to imagine. In some parts of the world starvation and death are daily events. Fresh drinking water is a rarity. Food is so scarce that meals aren’t experienced on a daily basis.
But I am not telling you something you that you don’t already know. Because of the electronic media we are now aware of the “bubble” we live in, and of the horrible reality that some people call “life”.

We Canadians, will spend multi-millions of dollars this Christmas, but where does all this money go? Does getting into the Christmas “spirit” merely involve putting up the lights, preparing and feasting on tasty food and drink, and exchanging gifts with friends and family?

At the first Christmas we see God entering into human history, being born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus Christ was the first and greatest gift ever given!

God became a man, so that He could rescue humanity from their self centered sinfulness. He came to turn them away from loving “self” first and foremost… and to turn them back to loving God and loving neighbor…like God had first planned in the beginning.

As the Creator of everything, God owned everything. Everything that man possessed was only on loan. This meant that man had nothing to offer to God. Add to this equation that man had rebelled against his Creator and was very content on being his own little god and you have a very sad tale indeed.

So what did God do? Did He look for people who loved Him, and then poured gifts upon them? There was none who loved Him. Did He look for those who could give Him gifts in return, and then pour gifts on them, awaiting the return load in the future? What would be the point, He owned everything anyways.

Instead, God sent His greatest gift, His only Son, to those who were so utterly bankrupt that they could never pay Him back. Why would He do that?
Because that is what love is, and that is what love does. God doesn’t love mankind in order for what He will receive, but for what He can give.

Before we ever ask God why He allows people to live in poverty, hunger and nakedness, we better first look in the mirror. Why do we allow this? Has God given North America such abundance merely for us to spend it on ourselves? Or does God want us to mirror His loving, sacrificial giving so that those who have little can be helped by those who have much? May God bless us with a very Merry Christmas, as we give to our family and friends, and also give to those who will never be able to return the favor.