THE BEST WAY TO CELEBRATE THE SEASON

by olusegun mokuolu
(Nigeria)

LUKE 14:12-15
We are approaching another festive and holiday season. The Christmas will soon be upon us. The New Year (2010) will roll in and there will be an uproar of ‘happy new year’ across the world at various times. Some would have planned holiday in different locations of the world.
Most men would by now have mapped out plans for their families to enjoy the season. And I do think it’s a good idea. But let’s examine the words of our Lord Jesus Christ to see if there is a better way to celebrate the season.
Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just. And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. (Luke 14:12-15 KJV)
Jesus was invited for what we can refer to today as a dinner party. He accepted the invitation and went for the dinner. It was during the feast that Jesus used the occasion to teach His host an important lesson. ‘Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours’.
This statement is revolutionary in nature. We are used to celebrating occasions like this with the very people the Lord says we should not invite to such occasion. How then are we supposed to celebrate and with who? The Lord immediately provides answer to this question. ‘But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind’
Oh! How great is the thought of the Lord different from ours and His ways far from ours. What the Lord expects from us is quite different from what the world teaches. If we are children of God, then we must not conform to the world. We must be different.
Another festive period is upon us. The Lord is calling on us to use this season to bless the less privileged. He is calling us to sincerely reach out to the poor with the love of God. This is not a time to indulge in self gratification. This is not the time to over eat and drink.
We must march out this season armed with the love of Jesus. Let’s seek the destitute in our community and show the Lord of God to them. Let’s teach our children to learn to celebrate Christmas this way. If we practically obey the Lord in this regard, we will greatly impact the world for the Lord. As head of family, the men have an important role to play in this regard. You must rise to the occasion and lead your family to obey the Lord. Only the Lord knows what the result will be if every Christian family on the face of the earth would do this.
There is no society on earth where we cannot find this people. ‘But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind’. Do you know any country in the world that does not have the blind, poor, maimed, lame, destitute etc? There is none. Let’s seek them specially this season. I really pray that we will celebrate this season differently. I pray we will follow the instruction of the Lord. When we do this, we will begin to find festive seasons more fulfilling and rewarding.
But why would the Lord have us celebrate the season this way? ‘And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just’. Praise the Lord! You will be blessed by the Lord. The Lord wants us to do things with eternity in mind. To the people around, you may appear foolish but your reward is waiting for you. ‘for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just’ These are the words of the Lord. May the Lord grant unto you wisdom to go about doing good this season.
In what practical ways do you think we can obey the instruction of the Lord this season? How do you think it can be sustained?