You’ll Get It When You Give It - Tis the season to give and get. But let us not get so wrapped up in the festivities of the tradition that we forget about all the people who are hurting. For some, Christmas can be a cruel reminder of losses in life – lost loved ones through death or divorce, lost jobs, lost hopes or dreams. Just the simple fact that this time is suppose to be joyous may drive some into deep depression, apathy or anguish.

So why not think beyond ourselves? Why not give some time, money or presence? Instead of getting caught up in our own selfish celebration, why not remember what it’s all about – Jesus came to tend to and mend the broken and hurting. Then step out of your world and into another person’s and make a difference. After all, isn’t that what Jesus did as God’s gift to us?

I’m coming to understand in deeper ways how true the old saying is… “It is better to give than to receive.” Isn’t that what being a follower of Christ is all about? We have received the gift of His grace, so we follow His example and our lives are graciously being poured out for others? I had the blessing of buying two new tires for a friend this past week because the tread was coming through and she couldn’t afford to replace them right now. While I’m standing at the tire place waiting for the job to be completed, in that moment I felt more alive than ever. I remembered once again as I said to myself, “Now THIS is living!” It really is better to give than to receive because when we give, we are more like God. Have you realized this? You are more like God than at any other moment when you give a gift out of love. That’s why it is better to give than to receive, and why it feels so right.

A family we know needs a car. They are pregnant with their first child and both of their cars died beyond resurrection. The wife got laid off from work and the husband is making enough to support them but with the unexpected circumstances cannot replace their vehicles. So we thought, “Why not? Why not buy them a car?” If we are going to “love our neighbors as ourselves,” doesn’t that mean we will do for them what we would do for ourselves? So we sent out an email to some on our contacts list and explained the situation and the opportunity to do something extraordinary for others. Perhaps you got that email. So it worked, and God worked… we raised money to buy them a vehicle in less than 24 hours. God also directed us through a FUSIONeer to a car dealership that gave us wholesale price on a good used minivan.

We dropped it off after worship with an infant car seat in the back and a $100 gas card. The couple could not believe it. “Why would anyone do this,” they asked? They wept tears of joy and said this simple gift has renewed their belief in God and their faith in people and has changed their entire lives.

FUSION is all about Unleashing God’s Power Together . . . do you see that when we come together, united in Christ to do good, that God’s power is unleashed through us? God can use us better when we come together to explode His love into this world… I mean, after all, isn’t that how this whole Christianity thing got started? God exploded His love into this world through His Son, Immanuel = God with us; beginning as a baby in a manger and dying as a sinless Savior on the cross for all the sins of humanity.

God GAVE. Do you get it? He gave us love, grace, mercy. He gave Himself for us. Do you get it? Perhaps you’ll get it when you give it. So GIVE yourself away for others. You might be surprised at how good it is to be ALIVE, living in the image of God.

(Turn Christmas UPSIDE DOWN by gifting a donation to Jesus – it will go to help out this couple & people in tough times by creating a FUSION Relief Fund – mark envelope “UPSIDE DOWN” & drop in offering or mail to: FUSIONchurch P.O.Box 250168, Atlanta, GA, 30325)