King

 Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

I think that sometimes between the ugly sweaters, the holiday parties, the Christmas lights and decor we forget about the miracle of the virgin birth. Yeah, we sing along with the Temptations as we decorate our Christmas tree and bolt out, "Christ the savior is born." But, do we truly grasp the gravity of that lyric? Do we understand that all the debates of when and where Christ was born are irrelevant. We celebrate the fact that this baby born to Mary and Joseph would grow up and die for our sins. Mary's baby boy would solve the problem Adam created. Jesus was born to die on a cross to save me, to save you, and to save the world. This Christmas, as the fireside is blazing bright, remember the real reason for the season...the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Merry Christmas.

Compassion

John 15:13 (KJV) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

My grandfather was murdered saving the life of his boss during an armed robbery. It was a selfless act that was deemed heroic by the Times Picayune at the time. However, it left our family with a void no one could fill. My grandmother became a widow. My mother, aunt, and uncles lost their father. My cousins and I lost a grandfather. His death left ripples in our community, but love is sacrificial. Our loss was his gain. He earned a big jewel in his crown that day. Compassion is love  in action.

As I celebrate Good Friday, I can't help but to think about Mary. Her son was murdered. She watched her son give his life for the redemption of sinners who deny his existence. The disciples lost their example, but love is sacrificial. Their loss was our gain. We gained a savior. The cross was God's love in action. He came and died for us. God's compassion is unmatched. However, it should be the motivation for us to have compassion and truly put our love in action.