By Keith Merrill

Members of the church that I serve as associate minister, Metropolitan Baptist Church, recently traveled to Picayune, Miss., for our annual Christ banquet. Also, it was a great privilege to be a part of the Union Baptist Theological Seminary, Bogalusa Campus, at the Greater Ebenezer Baptist Church’s annual Christmas program. Both occasions were blessed experiences as we took the time to share with one another while lifting up the “reason for the season.”

It was an honor to be able to elevate one another in love and unity. We all should concentrate more on speaking of the blessings God has so richly bestowed upon us. Not only during the holiday season, but every day of our lives we should lift up one another in love.

I have been taught that Christmas is all about honoring the birth of Jesus through giving and not focusing on our self-gratification. The Bible declares that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive. We all can give someone a smile, a kind word and whatever it is that God has placed upon our hearts.

God has blessed us in abundance, and we should have a heart that’s willing to share with someone who is less fortunate. Christ admonishes us to esteem others better than ourselves for He says that He will cause others to be a blessing to us when we bless others.

I believe that when we promote and motivate others in the right spirit, God will inspire others to do the same towards us. Sometimes we become so busy that we neglect our duties in helping people and to love others as we love ourselves like the Bible has commanded.

We often complain about what we don’t have, overlooking and thanking God for what we do have and can give. To be able to give is an awesome gift from above. Many people in Washington Parish are striving to make a positive difference in the lives of others. This is a great quality about our parish citizens.

We never know to the fullest how much we are positively impacting someone’s life but when we do, God has promised to bless us for our acts of kindness. God has given us gifts and talents that we should use to glorify his name and edify one another. You may be the one who improved the quality of life for someone who needed your help.

As God has given his Son, Jesus, as a gift to us, we should give with an attitude of gratitude to God, who has blessed us to be able to give.

Let us take time to encourage someone, love one another and help someone in need now and in the future. God will be well-pleased with our unselfish deeds.

I will close with this thought: As God has so richly given his Son, Jesus, let us give with a heart of humility and honor towards humanity.

God bless you and your family this Christmas and New Year.

 

Keith Merrill is an associate minister at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Bogalusa.