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December 01, 2006 |
Completing Our Gift List
"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." - Matthew 25:40
This time of year the news is full of stories about shopping. How much will people spend on holiday gifts? Nearly $800 per person, according to the National Retail Federation. What is the hottest gift? Sony's PlayStation 3, or "PS3," video game console. It retails for $600, but a short supply has led to some being offered on eBay for over $2,000!
In the midst of all the holiday hype, there are lots of folks who are going without. This month's verse is but one of many that shows God's deep concern for the poor. He even went so far as to say that when we serve the poor we serve Him directly. Therefore, one of the best ways we can celebrate the "Reason for the season" is to help someone who's more concerned about putting food on the table than finding a parking spot at the mall. Check out this month's Recommended Resource for one idea on how to do so.
Gifts That Make a Difference
Usually this space is devoted to recommending a book or other resource that's helpful in teaching us to manage money wisely. This month, as most of us shop for gifts for the special people in our life, I'd like to...
“Matt Bell speaks from the convictions of his own life experiences. He exposes the lies that our culture tries to tell us about ourselves. And he lovingly tells God’s truth about the necessity for us to be stewards of God’s resources. Our adult Sunday school class loved Matt and were challenged to grow through his class.”