Tis the Season To Be... Superficial

I don't often post too many posts that are vents.... but that is exactly what is about to happen. I am so tired of churches that are so focused on decorations and making sure they have enough garland and candles to make this season Christmas-like. Jesus would not have wanted HIS birthday celebrated by spending tons of time and money gorging on unhealthy food, buying expensive bank-busting presents and being so busy you don't have time to help people!!! My work is to set up blood drives to be able to maintain a supply for the community to use when they need it, something that 1 out of every 3 people in the world will have to partake in and with heart disease and cancer as abundant as they are, that isn't changing anytime soon! The times of year when the demand from hospitals is the highest are the Summer and December. During both seasons, more people are getting surgies, having accidents during travel and have more time to set aside for surgery, but in December people are trying to get in treatments and surgeries before their insurance rolls over. So, with that, you would think the community would bond together to make sure the difference can be made up; however, that is the exact OPPOSITE of how people respond! So, with many companies and schools being dismissed for the last 2 weeks of the year, and having 2 Sundays with 0 blood drives on the books, I figured churches would surely be willing to volunteer a few spots in their parking lots and a few announcements the weeks before and maybe a blurb in their bulletins... but you know how many have agreed in the 3 weeks I have been working heavily on this objective? 0!!!! 0!!!!!!!!!!! Can you imagine Christ saying, "no I'm too busy to help save lives" or "I can't give blood it will interrupt our Christmas play" or "It would mess up our decorations we have already set out". I think those statements sound more like something out of the mouth of the deceiver! Matthew 25: The Final Judgment 31 “But when the Son of Man[d] comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. 32 All the nations[e] will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. 34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[f] you were doing it to me!’ 41 “Then the King will turn to those on the left and say, ‘Away with you, you cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his demons.[g] 42 For I was hungry, and you didn’t feed me. I was thirsty, and you didn’t give me a drink. 43 I was a stranger, and you didn’t invite me into your home. I was naked, and you didn’t give me clothing. I was sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit me.’ 44 “Then they will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and not help you?’ 45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’ 46 “And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous will go into eternal life.” As Jesus said here, helping the sick is helping Him! He says that is the difference in judgment! Helping the sick, the poor, giving clothes and visiting the imprisoned. I don't think He is being facetious here. In Amos it says 21“I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. 22“Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings. 23“Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. So, how much does Jesus care about your bell choir, decorations, parties and plays? How do ANY of these things increase the Kingdom of God? What is this Christmas season about? I beliueve it should be about Giving, Loving Sharing Christ's Love and the Good News that is. Sigh... I am approaching the local Mosque and Mormon Temples this next week. I'm interested, and kinda scared, to see how willing they are to help in this crucial time.