Christmas Crime

After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel.

-Judges 2:10 (NLT)

This holiday season has disturbed me a bit.  No, it's not because me artificial tree looks like it needs a stimulus package or recovery funds.  I can deal with that.  It's not even because we have Christmas on a tight budget this year (and every year).  It certainly isn't due to the fact that my Christmas savings account was empty before I had purchased a single gift for anyone.  None of that is a big deal to me.

These holiday criminals have me puzzled.  They prey upon households that tend to be the people who really don't deserve to be robbed blind if there ever such a list existed.  For instance, a woman from our church and a family friend spent much of early December helping prepare for our church's Angel Tree celebration for the children of the incarcerated through Prison Fellowship.  Yet, her house was robbed and ransacked just days before Christmas.  My neighbor who never fails to speak or wave and who always seems to be ready to offer a cheery smile was robbed the day before Christmas as I grumbled about losing a gift card for one of my family members.  Here I was complaining about the $30 card I had lost, but this man and his family were wiped out in an instant.

It is some sad commentary on us when we think that we are immune to Christmas crime.  Look at the world today.  Crime may be on an upswing due to hard times and other factors.  It's unreal out here with the economy and the job market.  However, if we do not see the reality that is before our eyes, we may end up wondering the worst and missing our own miracles.

Imagine the worst and expect the worst.  It comes out like that.  It is like Murphy's Law or a self-fulfilling prophecy.  We tend to live up to the expectations of others and we live out our own expectations of ourselves. Don't let bad things run around in your mind to the point that you embrace cynicism and negativity as part of your outlook on daily living, even the holidays.  Embrace the miracle of what you have been given today and in this moment.  The miracle is that God allowed you to see or hear about it.  Do something about it.  Do something special for the people who had to deal with it.  Take full advantage of today.  Make the most of every God-given opportunity today.

What kept it from being your house? Grace.  Why wasn't it you? Goodness (His, not mine).  Who could have prevented it from happening to them? No one but God.  Then, after all of that line of questioning, you still have to ask: Why did He allow it to happen to them?

I suspect it was done so the Lord could  use you somehow in some special way for someone else.