There are 365 Opportunities

“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.”

James 4:17

 

 

I was going to write that yesterday we received our first Christmas card of the season but as I started to do so, I remembered that we had actually gotten one a week or two before.

No, this is not going to be a diatribe on how early the holidays are celebrated or a long litany of complaints about the “merchandising” of Christmas.

Instead, the early greetings got me to thinking about how different our world would be if we disciples of Jesus were so excited about our love for Him (and even more excited about His love for us) that we took EVERY SINGLE OPPORTUNITY to tell others about Him and to find ways – not just wait for them to fall in our laps but actually go out of our way – to bless others.

Suppose we didn’t wait until the 15 days before the 25^th of December to appreciate others that we might otherwise ignore the rest of the year?

Suppose we took a few moments to think about those – and lift them up in prayer – who have expressed to us their frustrations or hurts?

What if it wasn’t approaching Christmas but instead the middle of March and we just send them a card to tell them we’re thinking of them and praying for them.  

What if we ‘didn’t need an excuse’ to be kind to a stranger?

Well, we don’t.

Some might use the excuse, “Well, I still have to be led by Gods’ Spirit!”

Really?

So let me understand – unless you ‘feel’ led you can’t be kind?

Unless you feel led you can’t love someone unconditionally?

Unless you feel led you can’t bless them in Jesus name?

Do you see how silly that excuse sounds?

Of course we all want to be led by the Holy Spirit in our lives.

But there are some things already made abundantly clear in the Word of God that dictate how a follower of Jesus Christ should behave.

Not just one day of the year.

There are 365 opportunities!