Vicar's Voice, 8 December 2019

How hard is it to celebrate Christmas? Have you ever thought that for some Christian people it is a time of year when the normal cycles and stresses of life are accentuated and multiplied because of unfortunate circumstances. If this is the first Christmas after losing a loved one, for example, it can be quite traumatic. Having celebrated together for a significant amount of time and then losing that person creates a large vacuum which is exacerbated on occasions like Christmas.

We all want to bless our children particularly at Christmas as we want them to not only enjoy the ‘gifts’ but also learn about the ‘giving’ and how much we reflect God’s nature when we give. But some families struggle to make ends meet most of the time and Christmas festivities do stress the family budget. 

So, Christmas for some people is not the jolly, cheerful time that it ought to be. Instead it is a time of worry and even depression, when expectations are not met. It is a time of loneliness and isolation because it is just so difficult to get into the ‘festive spirit’. ‘Tis the season to be jolly’ becomes a cynical sneer, not a source of encouragement.

How can we help? Living in a community such as ours there is sometimes a disconnect between what we see on Sundays together and the reality of experience the other days of the week. We live in two worlds. As Christians we need to be sensitive to the needs of others and look for signs that some people might be struggling (Philippians 2:3-5). We don’t have to wait till Christmas to do that, but it is more evident at this time of year.

Prayer is important as we claim to ‘love one another’ (John 13:34, 35) and if we really do, we are already thinking about others in our fellowship, remembering them in our daily prayers. (The quickest way to learn to love somebody is to start praying for them.)  Ask God to reveal to us if certain people, especially those who live alone, or are unemployed, are hurting or in need and He will also show us how we can help.

Sometimes a kind word and a prayer of comfort with someone who is suffering is all that is needed. Remember how you feel when you know that someone cares enough about you to chat and pray. Practical ‘helps’ of course are always welcome (even a home-cooked meal goes a long way to bringing joy) so be prepared to share with others out of your abundance this Christmas and seek to bless others. Even sacrificing a little of our comfort for the sake of others won’t hurt us. 

When you think about all that Jesus did for us in His death and resurrection, our efforts at helping others do seem to be but an easy gift, so, let’s try it!

In Christ,

Alan Wood