Operation Christmas Child!

On Sunday I had the privilege of speaking to our church about Operation Christmas Child.  This is a ministry that has been close to my heart, although it looks a bit different to me this year.  This year, when I see the OCC promotional video, I'm thinking of my little girl in China - an orphan who has lived her whole life in an institution without the hope of Jesus or the happiness of opening a present.  There are millions like her in the world right now, who have never known the joy of Christmas or the love of a family or even one single gift.  And yet there are so many of US who have SO MUCH.  We can be the hands and feet of Jesus, bringing light and hope to an otherwise dark existence.

This year is also different for me in that I'm not talking to a classroom of elementary children about Christmas boxes.  I have loved seeing my students' faces the last several years, as they learn about children much less fortunate than they are, and go to great lengths to figure out ways to help.  We would talk about all the things that they have that other children don't . . . warm homes, plenty of food, clean clothes, lots of toys, parents who care for them.  And then I would ask them how many presents they thought they would receive for Christmas.  They usually had an idea, since they'd started their Christmas lists long before! I would ask them to think about a child who had NONE of that.  Not just no presents, but NONE of the above things, either.  Then we would talk about the MOST important thing that they had, that others did not . . . the hope of Jesus!  We talked about how important it was to tell others about Jesus, when they otherwise may not ever hear.  

 We thought about ways that they could afford to put together a Christmas box.  Some would tell mom and dad that they would give up one present so that the money could be spent on a Christmas box.  Some would ask mom and dad (or grandma and grandpa, or neighbor) to suggest chores that they could do to earn money.  We talked about other things we could give up, even temporarily, to save money for this project.  One little boy told me that he was willing to give up soda for the next couple of months and just drink water so that there would be money to bless another child.  I encouraged them in all kinds of ways to give of themselves to help another less fortunate.  A couple of the parents weren't happy about this.  They didn't get it.  But the children did get it, and I'm so glad for that.  It was always my heart to see my students learn to follow Jesus, and to live their lives as an offering to Him.

Jesus doesn't call us to give out of our abundance.  He calls us to give sacrificially.  (Luke 21:1-4)  He says that if we have two coats, we should give one to the person who has none.  (Luke 3:11).  He says that because He has freely given to us, we also must freely give.  (Matthew 10:8).  He says that whatever we do (or don't do) to the least of these, we do (or don't do) to Him. (Matthew 25:31-46)  I've decided that I don't ever want to meet one of the "least of these" little children in Heaven one day, and have to say "I'm sorry you never got a Christmas present, but I just couldn't give up my Starbucks for a couple of days."  What a heartbreaking thought.

Please pray about what God would have you do for children this Christmas season.  If He asks you to do something that seems hard, He WILL make a way for you to do it!  And what joy you will feel in that obedience and blessing of others.

 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  ~ I John 3:17