POP QUIZ:

What does this mean?

ISSUE     ISSUE
ISSUE     ISSUE
ISSUE     ISSUE
ISSUE     ISSUE
ISSUE     ISSUE

[The correct answer is at the end*]

But if you also thought:  “Wow, that’s a lot of issues”, you’re also right.

I notice the issues piling up especially this time of year.  I get inundated with various charities and organizations, all asking that I make their issues a priority at Christmas. Everything from mosquito nets for  people with Malaria, to AIDS work in Africa, to farm animals for poor families, to MicroLoans, to homemade crafts made by local at-risk kids, to…

(And none of that includes gift-giving for family members, for neighbors and co-workers, who have their own issues!)

There are too many issues out there!  I want to address them all, but I can’t.

And so I pray for direction:  “God, out of all these issues, where should I direct my giving this year?”

And very clearly I hear God respond:  “There is only one issue.  And only one gift.”

Of course, God’s right.  How did I forget?

There is only one issue:  LOVE

There is only one gift:  LOVE EXPRESSED

That’s all God desires, that we express God’s love with some semblance of the same passion and sacrifice that brought Jesus to our world.

Whatever that truly means to you will be pleasing to God.

So sift through the issues, friend, and choose with your heart, knowing that the burden for all the world’s problems doesn’t fall to you alone.

There are billions of people expressing their love, too.

The love of Christ.  Love Expressed.

Let’s make LOVE EXPRESSED our one and only Christmas Issue,

and share it however we can.

Have a great week,

Mitch

(P.S. How much love could you

share with those in need for the

price of a pair of tennis shoes?*)