“For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people.” Luke 2:30-31

Can you imagine the chaos if the Christmas gifts given or received had no names on them? While some might be noted as “for the family” or “for the children,” most were undoubtedly personalized.

For whom was the gift of the Christ-child intended? For the world, of course. But whom does the world include? Simeon had probably never traveled outside the Holy Land, yet he had a big view of the world. He knew it included both the Jews, for whom this birth was the glorious fulfillment of God’s promises, and the Gentiles, for whom it was a light, revealing God’s salvation.

We are sometimes puzzled by the attitudes of God’s people of old, who seemed to believe they had an exclusive claim on God’s love. The Gentiles were generally regarded as inferior with no place in God’s plans. Yet today we Gentile Christians often assume the “holier than thou” attitude, both toward other Gentiles and even toward the Jews themselves.

God’s gift of His Son is clearly meant for us: it has our name on it. But ours is not the only name on that gift. God’s salvation has been “prepared in the sight of all people.” If we want to share the Gospel with others, we need to see the world as God sees it. It is a gift intended for sharing. The more we love it, the more we will give it away.

Prayer: Help us Lord, to see the world as You see it, so we might love others even as You have loved us.

My Bold Action for Today: Intentionally pray for someone you think is not fit to be in God’s kingdom.
Rev. Dr. Edwin Lehman

Today's Bible Readings: Genesis 10-12    Matthew 4

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