Article by Brian Mutembedza
Christmas comes but once a year. This popular phrase signifies the importance of love, sharing and selflessness during the festive season.
Since Christmas is derived from the knowledge of the birth of Jesus Christ whose teachings revolve around love, the spirit of generosity and goodwill should prevail. It is the time when we are to be our ‘brother’s keeper’ by bringing smiles to faces.
Unfortunately, for others, this season ends up being more of a curse than a blessing in that they invoke self imposed loses and suffering due to lack of wisdom in dealing with what is at their disposal. In his teachings, Jesus said, “If the Son of Man sets you free you shall be free indeed”. Christmas seems to be locking some of our brothers and sisters in bondage.
Christmas is like any other day and it is worthwhile to live within one’s means to avoid post Christmas stressful effects as a result of poor planning. In as much as it is time to make merry, this must not be done out of bounds. Weighing one’s available options and making sound decisions which will help maintain peace is essential during this time.
God blesses us differently, some have abundant of resources and others are still struggling to make ends meet. Do not compete with those who have much to spend, your time will come, therefore, be patient. During this time, one must prioritise what is more important and has long term benefits. If you know that the resources at your disposal are not enough to cover for your Christmas pleasures and children’s academic needs after the festive season, it is wise to choose the latter.
Do not be a prisoner of the festive season, let it work for you and not the other way round. It is time to enjoy the peace which Jesus brought into this world and as we do that let us not create problems for ourselves in the name of festivities.
This is the time to reflect on all the good things which are part of Jesus’ teachings and shun everything which leads to crime and deaths. Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season. Save lives and do not destroy. As we travel to different place for holiday, let us be cautious on the roads. Show generosity by saving lives as you drive. Jesus came to give us spiritual life in abundance, therefore, let us save physical lives by being law abiding citizens.
