Christmas Light

My husband, children, and I recently went out one evening for dinner and had a wonderful meal, enjoying the time to bond together as a family. After dinner, we learned from the waitress that major renovations would take place, and the restaurant would be relocated a few blocks down the street. The existing building and adjacent shops would soon be torn down so that the city could build a new strip mall on that corner of the intersection.
As we left the restaurant, we happened to look to the right of the building and were surprised at what we saw. In the darkness was a old rundown house that looked like it was about to collapse. We had never noticed this home before. Siding was falling off the house and an old 2 x 4 was propped up on the side door to keep the door from falling down. There were two shabby motor homes that were attached somehow together and joined to the existing house. Ragged tarps were drapped over the roof in efforts to keep the rain out. I wondered how anyone could live there and if there was even electricity.
I concluded that the home was probably vacant, but looking closer in, I discovered some lights in the window. What really caught my attention was a small string of shining Christmas lights strewn across the top of the window frame. Here were people living in very poor conditions, about to be moved and their home leveled to the ground, and yet they could still welcome the Christmas season with some Christmas cheer.
It was quite a contrast for us to see. We had just enjoyed a delicious and satisfying meal in a warm setting while there were people right next door who obviously did not have much at all. The little string of Christmas lights in that window symbolized to me the true spirit of Christmas.
Whatever our circumstances, we can look up and find joy, hope, and thankfulness in our hearts. We can be thankful for what God has given us and share our blessings with others. Jesus himself came down to this dark, sin-degraded world to give us hope and life. He is our shining light, giving us glimmers of hope in the darkness, and promise of eternal life ahead.
At Christmas time, we remember that baby Jesus was born to become our Saviour – the greatest gift of all. “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10,11).
Cynthia Ly Lan Nguyen