The first week of the month was a bit of a slap in the face of how far away I am from home and how Christmas is very different this year. I am missing my family more than ever and longing for everything I do not have here in Cambodia and within this team. I am missing everyone I love and know who loves me so deeply in return. I am missing the candy canes and Christmas music and eggnog and pumpkin spice and gingerbread lattes and cookies and biscotti and the Christmas trees and lights and the joy of all the festivities.
And then the Lord brought me to this passage:
1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
I am missing all of the things I usually do and enjoy during this time of year, and they are all good, but really, all of this will pass away someday.
Why do we do all of these things anyway? So much of Christmastime isn’t even about Christmas.
I know the Lord has called me to be here in Cambodia on the World Race at this time. He has confirmed it over and over again. I also know that remaining on the race is remaining in His will, so am I making the most of it or am I dwelling on what I do not have?
When committing to go on this World Race, I commited to say no to my selfishness for 11 months and say yes to Jesus in everything. Does that mean every day I will say no to my desires except on holidays? Except on Christmas? Do I get to pick and choose when I will follow Jesus? Or will my response always be ‘Yes, Lord’?
Jesus tells us two things. He tells us a lot of things, but these two stand out to me during this time.
John 13:35
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.
AND
Matthew 25:34-40
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited Me in, I needed clothes and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe You? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.’
Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of the Hope of the world God gave us through Jesus Christ, but how much celebrating can I do when ‘to be Cambodian is to be Buddhist’? How can I celebrate with people who do not have this hope I have? I can celebrate with my team, but I must continue to love and serve others that they might come to know this hope we have.
We visit the slums almost daily to love on the neglected children. We bathe them and feed them and just hold them. We play with them too, but they would rather be held… and I love it. I love them. I love how much they love and how hard they are trying to hold onto their innocence, but you can see in their eyes how much has already been stolen.
When Jesus told us to clothe the naked, I didn’t think people actually walked around naked; I just thought it meant they did not have many clothes. I was wrong. So many children here do not have clothes to wear and run around with only a shirt or only bottoms or nothing at all. They play in the dirt and are covered in infected wounds and diseases.
Friday was the purest Christmas I have ever experienced. We went to the slums and bathed the children as usual. We fed them as usual and then we brought them new clothes and toothbrushes with toothpaste and a small bag of cookies and candy and spent the morning loving on them. THIS is what it is all about. This is what Jesus meant.
I am still looking forward to celebrating the grace and mercy and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ this Christmas with my team, but I now know the heart of it all is to care for others in a way that they might, too, know the hope and joy I have in Him.
Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on Me,
because the Lord has anointed Me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives and
release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
and provide for those who grieve in Zion-
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of His splendor.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
