A growing number of believers are aware of the materialism in our Christmas celebrations and are choosing to celebrate differently. I’d encourage you and your family to consider ways that you can make this Christmas different.

Scripture is full of God’s words to generous givers: “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty” (Proverbs 3:9-10). But God doesn’t intend for us to keep everything He brings into our barns! We are to distribute it generously. We give to Him, He gives to us, and we keep giving it back to Him, recognizing that it belongs to Him anyway. 

COVID and the resulting economic devastation have taken a horrible toll on many poorer countries around the world. The following report from my friend Kurt Nelson with East-West Ministries, about a country in the Caribbean (specific name withheld for security reasons), is just heartbreaking. 

Pride, by its very nature, is self-focused. If we live for the purpose of celebrating our own greatness, we’ll endure small, pitiful lives. But if we focus on God’s greatness and live to serve others, then we will, in the best sense, live large.

When I was writing my book Giving Is the Good Life, there were some people of times past I wished I could have interviewed. One of them was Stanley Tam, whom I’d read about years earlier. I contacted a friend who’d known Stanley to find out more about his life. I was shocked by his response: “Want to talk to Stanley on the phone this Saturday?” So to my delight, I spoke with then-102-year-old Stanley Tam. 

As we learn to give, we draw closer to God. But no matter how far we progress in the grace of giving, Jesus Christ remains the unmatchable giver. It was He who left the wealth of Heaven to make the supreme sacrifice to deliver us from eternal poverty and grant us eternal riches.

In some circles, the abundant life Jesus promised His followers has been confused with material wealth. Prosperity theology says that God’s plan is always for us to be wealthy—and to spend our money primarily on ourselves. 

In her article How ‘Christian’ Should My Small Business Be?, Laura Baxter offers five principles for business owners wondering how to honor Christ with their companies. I would add one more point to her article: Seek to honor Christ with the resources He has entrusted to your business.

Many Christian fiction readers are familiar with Francine Rivers, an author whose books are exceptionally powerful, well-written, and always Christ-honoring. With her permission, I’m sharing this encouraging and beautiful story related to her book Redeeming Love.