Self-less Christmas

My friend Beth told me once that getting married made her realise how selfish she was in areas of her life. Suddenly, you have to think for your respected partner and spouse - life decisions cannot be made entirely around personal desires. Yet Beth is one of the most lovely people I've ever had the opportunity to get to know, and definitely un-selfish at that!

Christmas often reminds me of greediness and hoarding. Months of desiring things we don't really need, fuelled by clever advertising and pretty packaging. Unless of course you're a student like myself; in which case Christmas becomes an opportunity to receive all the 'essentials' you ran out of in June, but haven't been able to afford to buy.

I headed to a friend's house recently to celebrate Christmas in true party style; expecting a big lavish and delicious dinner, cheesy music and ridiculous games. Instead, they treated their guests to rice, bread and water. More than half the world's only Christmas Dinner.

My friends have an amazing and inspirational heart for the poor and the lost, and their desire for the evening was that amidst the flurry of presents, food and festivity we would take time out to remember the great many others who won't get any of it. Those for whom Christmas Day is just another 'lucky' day of survival. I was struck by their boldness, but challenged.

'He was little, meek and helpless... tears and smiles like us he knew'

One of my highlights of the pre-christmas week, was watching the BBC series 'The Nativity'. It was very moving, emotional and real. And it hit home the crucial part of God's plan that I realised I so often forget: He came to save us from our own Human iniquities. Kings AND Shepherds worshipped him, bringing all that they had.

God astounds me.

The challenge as I left my friends house was to contribute the money I would have spent celebrating with them that evening to someone in need, perhaps blessing someone I didn't know. And then, like Beth, I realised how incredibly selfish I was too; trying to justify plenty of other self-centred causes that could use that money.

I still haven't decided what I'm going to do with that money. I do have it set aside. I'm praying and hoping that God might tell me soon; and trying to look at my everyday with a 'godly' perspective.

What I do know is that I ate less this Christmas. I felt 'full' quicker (which might also be because of my Cousin's incredible cooking...) and in my contentment endeavoured to remember those that weren't eating anything at all. Most of all, I bathed in the knowledge that Jesus came for me too. And you.