Thursday, Dec 16, 2021
“They Take Care of Us”
Unless folks (or their families) have worked at a church, it’s impossible to communicate the stretch and the stress that arrives this time of year. This is the church’s metaphorical “Hail Mary” as we approach the upcoming week: Multiple worship services requiring lots of logistics and multiple bulletins, end-of-the-year newsletters, planning of next year’s groups and activities, plus all of the extra events on the calendar, create pressure that’s impossible to describe unless you’ve experienced it yourself.
Church staff and their families make incredible sacrifices of time for a solid eight weeks leading up to Christmas. There is no time away from work before Christmas, be that for grocery or gift shopping, or a few nights at home where the work does not continue. The holiday countdown leaves little time for their families at a time when their loved ones need them the most!
Before you think this is a plea to buy gifts for your church staff, this writer must interject: personal past experience has given me a micro-view of the sacrifices of others around me. Specifically, the experiences of emergency personnel, municipal workers, retailers, and small business owners who work long hours to make sure our homes are safe, streets are clean and safe for the increased traffic, and that the needed sales figures are achieved to complete a difficult, COVID-related year.
It’s likely that you, too, know someone who works exceptionally long hours this time of year. It might be good to check on them. Encouragement is likely an unexpected and welcomed lift. “Thank you’s”, notes or cards of encouragement, or even a gesture to their spouse or children might lift their spirits. They probably can’t take time off to join you for coffee, but a random text of love and appreciation can help relax some very tense muscles. After all, they receive more complaints and aggravations from the general public now than at any other time of year.
Thus far, our focus this week has been on finding JOY. Today, commit to giving JOY to those that ensure it for the rest of us! In loving others, we can bring JOY to God, too.
“Don’t do anything for selfish purposes, but with humility think of others as better than yourselves. Instead of each person watching out for their own good, watch out for what is better for others.” (Philippians 2:3-4, CEB).