Morty Lloyd, pastor of Chattanooga Church, poses for portraits and talks about the church’s new smart phone application, which contains features for church news, a prayer list and contact information.This past Sunday, a deacon in our church organized a group to deliver essential items for the homeless in our community. Each item was donated by various members of our church family.
In typical Chattanooga Church fashion, we had more items than we imagined. Upon arriving, our first action was to serve lunch. To make it simple, the lunch we provided was comprised of pizza and sandwiches. While the sandwiches and other menu items were appreciated, the real treat was the pizza. The smiles on their faces were indescribable as each pizza box was opened. The fresh, hot pizza we served that day was quickly consumed.
To us, a pizza seems all too common. After all, we have our favorite brand in the contact list of our phone. That delivery service, in turn, has our credit card information on file. Within 30 minutes, we have a pizza delivered to our front door. As they say, “One call does it all.”
But to those without a front door, life is very different. This simple meal we took for granted, they considered a feast.
After lunch, we unpacked boxes and bags of backpacks, blankets, coats, caps, gloves, toiletry items and the like. Much to my surprise, some of the most requested items that day were bars of soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste and deodorant. As we placed these items in their hands, we sensed that we were truly meeting the most basic of needs. What we commonly stock in our bathrooms is eagerly sought among those who don’t have a roof over their head; those who are homeless. The sense of joy we brought cannot adequately be described.
As the last of the boxes was emptied, I began to pack up to drive home. As I reflected on what our church had just done, God placed on my heart that this is what Christmas is really all about. That afternoon, there was a sense of Christmas in my heart like I hadn’t felt all season. Yes, I had driven around town to see the lights, played the carols in my car and even been to a Christmas play. Yet nothing compared to what I had just participated in.
I was reminded that Christmas isn’t about getting, it’s about giving. The simplicity of these words gets lost in all the busy-ness, selfishness and materialism of the season. After all, we all have a Christmas list, don’t we?
It’s good to be reminded that 2,000 years ago the son of God performed an incredible, selfless act for us all. He came to earth, born of a virgin, to become the sacrifice for our sins. This is what the Christmas celebration is really about. We get to celebrate the life of one who left heaven to come to earth, so that we might gain eternal life. Without Jesus, there is no holiday; there is no music; there are no lights.
So how do we become more like Jesus? By giving.
As Jesus said in Matthew 25:40: “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
This season, do something for someone else. Perform a selfless act of service in love. Do it without expecting to get paid or getting anything in return. Once you do, you will experience the real meaning of Christmas. You’ll come closer to imitating the one for whom this season is really all about the most selfless human who ever lived, Jesus.
Merry Christmas.
Morty Lloyd has been the senior pastor at Chattanooga Church for 20 years. He and his wife, Joyce, have three children. The couple also works with Mission Aviation Fellowship, which spreads the Gospel to isolated areas throughout the world.