Every year, we get what some call “Christmas cheer.” We sing about peace on Earth and globally unite to celebrate. But, do we mean the words that we sing? Or is it just a tradition? Anyone who knows me is aware of my struggle with this time of year. I love the meaning of Christmas, and having greenery all over my house. I love the sense of being able to set aside an entire season for celebrating the birth of Christ. But, I hate the obligation to swap presents, and hit the mall to make sure everyone has a gift. We spend hours decorating our houses and placing on the lights. We spend hundreds of dollars on presents. And then we spend a few hours on the actual celebration and reflecting on the meaning behind the holiday.
But, if we truly understand the meaning of Christmas, should it not make a difference in how we live our lives every day? If we take time to celebrate Christmas as a time for peace on Earth, the celebrations themselves will probably not make the world a more peaceful place. After the songs have stopped and the lights are off the house, we need to take action. We now need to make a commitment to ensure that we have contributed to peace on earth.
Your Peace on Earth
With the daily political chaos in the US and on a global scale, peace seems a bit far fetched. Perhaps we cannot change the entire world. But you do have the power to change one person’s world. We can each make our own contributions in some way. There are some things I do to bring some purpose and meaning to my world, but there are still so many other things that I can do to actively take part.
- Pray. Yes, yes, I’m sure we all pray. But, pray for those areas in desperate need of peace– we hear about crises and we change the profile pics on Facebook to tell everyone to pray. But, let’s make sure that we, too, are pausing and praying for the situation.
- Encourage the world changers. I can’t leave everything and help with natural disaster relief or call myself to a life as a missionary, but I know people who do. I may not be able to make a profound difference, but I can try to help them out, even just through encouragement.
- Volunteer for special events. Soup kitchens at Thanksgiving and Christmas, passing out sleeping bag and jackets at shelters, or even just donating clothes. This time of year always has lots of opportunities for one-time volunteer events to get your feet wet.
- Volunteer on a regular basis. Once you’ve experimented with different venues, try taking a more active role in a volunteer organization. I know none of us have a lot of time to give away to anything, even if its a good cause. But find something that you could even spend 30 minutes on once a month to stay actively committed.
