Sunday, December 7, 2014

Saint Nicholas

Yesterday was the Feast of Saint Nicholas.  This is a time to remember a great bishop that lived in modern day Turkey.  [For all of my friends that don't believe in Bishops ------- just remember they are in the Bible]  He served in his city with the love of Jesus.  DeAnne brought this up to us on Friday and said we should read his story.  We have a great set of books about the saints of old called: Early Saints of God by Bob Hartman.  In this book we are told that Nicholas found out that there were three children that were going to be sold into slavery because their parents had found themselves in debt ------ and in order to pay the debt they would sell their children into slavery.  Nicholas made a plan to give the money to the family without them knowing that it came from him.  He did this out of his love of God and his love of the people God had entrusted to him.  The small bags of gold miraculously showed up on the day that the children were to be sold.  Thus, they were set free from slavery and bondage. 
I wonder what that would look like in our own lives?  To not go around proclaiming how generous we have been.  To not go with trumpets and fanfare [in modern day terms that is social media] sharing what great generosity we have accomplished.  Instead to be a humble servant of God ----- who did  not come to be served, but to serve.
Nicholas lived a life of sacrifice for the common good of all.  Let us go and do likewise, as we participate with what the Holy Spirit is already doing.  Forget all the pomp and circumstance ------ forget the fanfare and horse & pony shows ------- forget the trumpets and bugles ------- forget the Christmas parties and charity events -------- forget the shoe boxes and endless gift giving -------- forget the red sweaters and $80 Christmas trees ------- and instead take on the form of a servant and love your neighbor.