Mom Time NewsSeven Ways To Be Good Stewards of our Holiday Time The holiday season can be most hectic. Chaos tends to reign even in the most reverent Christian homes. There are places to go, gifts to be brought, programs to plan and people to see- all with ominous deadlines. Yet, in this hubbub of activity, we must be careful not to lose sight of evangelistic opportunities. Now is the time of year when people talk about Jesus and people are open to hear about Jesus. We, as Christians must be wise. We need to be careful to guard our peace so that we can be good stewards. Being a good steward of our time during the holiday involves seven crucial elements. (1) Establish Meaningful Traditions Traditions are the cornerstone of relationships. In fact, traditions give testimony to the importance of relationships. Jesus, Himself established the ritual of communion. When we take communion we are reminded of Jesus' love and sacrifice for us. It is also a time to reflect upon our commitment to Him. Communion forces us to stop all the activity in our lives and to consider our ways. The communion table also affords us numerous benefits including healing, restoration and renewal. We need to know these benefits. Likewise the holiday traditions we establish should bring us closer to the ones we love and value. They should know the benefits of the tradition. We also need to look at the negative traditions we are creating in our families by the constant running from one holiday event to the other. Make certain you know the purpose for every holiday event you attend. Also be sensitive to when it is time to create new memories. You can establish a new tradition this year like sitting down and reading the bible and sharing insights with your family. Spend more time with your family, establish a new family tradition this year! (2) Monitor Your Holiday Schedule The holiday season for Christians is full with so much activity. You should be particularly diligent about guarding your time with your family, God and yourself. Too many of us fill our calendars with "good" Christian activities instead of considering what is "best". Our time with the Lord should especially be guarded this holiday season. In addition, we need to be mindful of over-commitment. Mothers are particularly vulnerable with so many Christmas pageants, plays and parties to attend. It is okay to say "no". Be prayerfully about your schedule. Make sure you have time for yourself so you can be full of the spirit and therefore able to share it with others. (3) Be Wise With Your Body Besides time, God expects us to be good stewards of our bodies because God operates in this physical realm via our physical bodies. We are His temple! We are His shining lights this holiday season. Most of us tend to over-burden our bodies during the holiday season. We demand the impossible of ourselves while not getting adequate sleep or rest. Then we indulge in all the wrong foods. We are no testimony when we do not care for ourselves physically because our spiritual growth should be reflected in outward physical appearance. We therefore should be mindful of good health habits this holiday season. Remember we are representing our king!
If you do not have a budget, the holiday season is an excellent time to acquire one. Decide in advance how many you will spend. Be creative with gift giving. You can give the gift of your time or make a craft. You need not spend a lot of money. Sometimes the materialistic mindset of the world seeps into the church. We are particularly vulnerable to give our children too much. It is a good idea to let children realize the blessings they enjoy. A friend has his daughters accompany him while he delivers toys to inmates' children (for Chuck Colson's Angel Tree Ministry). Reach out to those around you this season. Give generously to others. Also, remember you can start planning this year for next year by gradually purchasing gifts for others throughout the year. (5) Set the Standard You must set the standard for the holiday celebrations for the unbelievers around you. The character of Jesus should reign at even the most illicit office party. In addition, your convictions and behavior should motivate others to see Christ. Now is not the time to slack up in your Christian walk. Now is the time to become so on fire for the Lord that others will beg you to tell them more about Jesus. Remember also you cannot win anyone to Jesus until you win them to yourself. Be friendly but firm in your Godly convictions. (6) Re-commit Your Life And Family to Christ Christmas time is a great time to re-commit your life and your family back to the Lord. See it as renewing your vows. Likewise unbelievers may follow you and make new commitments to the Lord. Children really understand the concept of re-commitment at Christmas time. Come together and pray and stand as a family and re-commit your lives to Christ together. Make a pact to hold one another accountable, because iron sharpens iron. Friends, ministries, and businesses can do this by joining with others. Make sure 'Jesus is the reason for the season' does not become a cliche in your life this holiday season. Make certain He remains your living Lord. (7) Celebrate Jesus Celebrating Jesus and His Gift of giving the world another New Year is indeed a reason to rejoice. In fact, we should celebrate more than the unregenerate because we know what is the glorious hope of our salvation. We know we can never re-pay God for the gift of His Son, or for the indwelling of the precious Holy Spirit. We know this all year round. We celebrate our special relationship with the Lord. As others behold our joy, peace and utter contentment they are drawn to Jesus. As Jesus is lifted up this holiday season He will draw people to Himself. Prayerfully, consider how you will celebrate Jesus this season because a dying world is watching and waiting. I pray that all have an anointed holiday season and a Spirit-filled New Year. May we all grow in grace that the meditations of our heart, the words of our mouth and plans of our mind be inspired by God Himself. May we be wise stewards of our time, our talents and our treasury. Let's take 2003 for Jesus! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Cheryl R. Carter generally writes on time management, parenting and family issues. She believes one of the biggest threats to the sanctity of the family is sexual sin. She is willing to step out of her comfort zone to address this issue. Read her other commentary under her e-newsletter--Momtime at www.momtime.net
|
