Advent Devotions December 10

Now as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you—so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. I do not say this as a command, but I am testing the genuineness of your love against the earnestness of others.For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

Paul is calling the community of Corinth to task and encouraging them to be mindful of their stewardship and how it affects others. Like the Corinthians, we may be good at many things but there is always room for improvement in other areas of our lives. We may not be commanded to do certain tasks within our lives. We should though be encouraged to certain tasks simply through our faith and following Jesus’ actions.

Jesus was rich in many aspects of his humanly life and gave it all up on the cross so that we would become rich in God’s grace overflowing. Nothing is required of us as we receive this gift of grace. Our faith and the love of God should call us into action to share in this generosity with those we encounter. The Christmas season is a great time to practice that generosity through sharing the gift of love, compassion and even physical needs to those that simply need it. The love that this Mall Santa shared with this little boy with autism reflects part of the true meaning of Christmas.

Let us pray.

Giving God, your generosity is continuous regardless of our actions and response to your love. May we be able to reflect even just a sampling of that love this season so that others may experience your grace. AMEN.