I think one of the nicest things that the local fire departments do to bring in the spirit of Christmas is the annual visit of Santa Claus coming through the neighborhoods.
Children eagerly await him as the sirens give assurance of his coming. He waves and gives out some kind of gift and treats. Just the other day I was in one of the neighborhoods and heard the sirens. I thought at first glance that someone’s house was on fire, but as I drove closer I realized that it was the jolly old man himself.
That particular evening I believe the wind chill was in the teens, and yet here was Santa standing out in the elements helping to make many a children’s day a little brighter. I thought to myself that I wouldn’t be out there for a thousand dollars – mainly because I hate the cold so much. But I also thought of how much of a sacrifice it was to bring joy to the community.
My mind began to drift to another time in history when at Christmas time another even greater sacrifice was made. The scripture tells us that God sent his Son to earth as a baby in a manger so that mankind could be saved from its sins. It also tells us in John 3:16 that the motivation for such action was love. The Bible also tells us Jesus Christ willingly came even though he understood that it meant he would have to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world on a cross.
This same kind of sacrificial spirit should come from all of us during this season. The scripture tells us that it is more blessed to give than to receive. We need to ask ourselves a very important question, “What am I doing to show a sacrificial spirit during this Christmas?”