prioritize.

Today I read this call to higher heights from Ravi Zacharias:

“Some years ago, we were spending Christmas in the home of my wife’s parents. It was not a happy day in the household…

Yet, in the midst of all that, my mother-in-law kept her routine habit of asking people who would likely have no place to go at Christmas to share Christmas dinner with us. That year she invited a man who was, by everyone’s estimate, somewhat of an odd person, quite eccentric in his demeanor.

It fell upon me, in turn, to entertain this gentleman. I must confess that I did not appreciate it. Owing to a heavy life of travel year-round, I have jealously guarded my Christmases as time to be with my family. This was not going to be such a privilege, and I was not happy.

As I sat in the living room, entertaining him while others were busy, I thought to myself, “This is going to go down as one of the most miserable Christmases of my life.”

But somehow we got through the evening.

At the end of the night when he bade us all good-bye, he reached out and took the hand of each of us, one by one, and said, “Thank you for the best Christmas of my life. I will never forget it.”

He walked out into the dark, snowy night, back into his solitary existence. My heart sank in self-indictment at those tender words of his.

That year the Lord taught me a lesson. The primary purpose of a home is to reflect and to distribute the love of Christ.

Anything that usurps that is idolatrous.”

Ah, yes. There is truth, and a good reminder of what’s passing away, and what’s here to stay.

You, Lord, did not come to earth, in love and humility that we cannot comprehend, simply to provide an opportunity for the traditions and warmth that I treasure so dearly.

If this month is special — if our homes are warm, our hearts open, our hands giving — let it be because we have Jesus, and He has made us so.

Oh, and how glad I am to have Jesus!

“Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth!” (–my favorite lines of the season!)

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