Good Morning,
As Santa prepares for his ultimate journey across the world to deliver toys, goodies, and gadgets to the good little children and coal and whippings to the bad children.
We pause to reflect on this Christmas about how are taught to love one another and appreciate the good things that we have. However, we forget those less fortunate. There's a saying in the bible: "and the meek shall inherit the Earth."
We do forget those who are less fortunate. Everyone just seems so greedy at Christmas time. Have we lost our ways in terms of charity?
Charity since 2000 has dropped more than 18% according to Forbes Magazine and it has sent a consistent drop. More and more people just don't seem to care about the poor, just themselves. Well, I did donate a few dollars to a few groups and the wounded warrior project as well.
Now do you realize in the bible that the wise men gave gifts to Jesus. Mary and Joseph were poor and had no money. You can say they were technically donations to help the family get on their feet. Sure it sounds questionable but... don't you think you should pull out your wallet sometime and donate some of your money? How about donating some of your time to a local shelter and helping out.
Why don't you sponsor a kid like I did...? Good lord, these guys need help!
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If you are talking about charity then why is this blog called "POSTCARDS FROM BETHLEHEM"?
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Oh, well it's a mailbag thing.
Anyway, here's a postcard from Mary and Joseph.
It says:
Dear Josh,
Well, we made it. It's been a great time here in Bethlehem. Mary gave birth to a baby boy we named Jesus. I'm such a proud papa right now. We did receive some unexpected visitors though through the night. First we got some shepherds who gave us a lamb and a little boy gave us his flute. Then we had three wise men come here. They gave us a box of gold, some frankincense, and myrrh. Are these gifts supposed to foreshadow something coming to our child? Anyway, there was this loud voice telling us to leave Bethlehem because King Herod was looking for us because he was tricked. We're currently in Egypt right now and we're ok. Just writing you to let you know that we are.
~ Mary and Joseph ~
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Well folks, that is the Christmas story right there in that postcard. It was a very scary time for them when Herod found out he was tricked by the wise men. Herod wasn't going out to worship the LORD, he was going to effectively kill Christmas. He found out someone was potentially going usurp his power as he proclaimed himself: "KING OF THE JEWS"
Christmas would've effectively been destroyed had Jesus been killed during the "massacre of the innocents" which is found in the narratives of both Matthew and Luke. Scholars dispute the number of innocents killed that day.
There would be no Christmas if it wasn't for the birth of Christ, much less the gift-giving without what the wise men did for Jesus that day.
People, it's really time to get your acts together and remember that JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!
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Tomorrow, we will have the Christmas Day reading from the book of John. Did you know that the Gospel of Mark doesn't have a nativity narrative? Yet it does contain an apparent important message.
"In the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send the messenger before they face, which shall prepare thy way before thee, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make his paths straight." - Mark 1:1-3
Merry Christmas Eve Everyone,
Joshua
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