It Is More Blessed To Give Than Receive

“Do you believe everyone needs a hug and to be told they are loved?” I asked Ed. As my old neighbor for years in Saskatchewan, Ed is used to me asking for his opinion. He is not shy about giving me his opinion even when I haven’t asked for it.

Yesterday, when I asked Ed about everyone needing a hug, he was precise in his answer. “You better make sure it is okay with the other person, or it could be called an assault. Lots of folks don’t like their personal space invaded even for a hug of welcome or affection. It is better to offer to shake another person’s hand, as it is less intrusive.”

I still believe everyone needs a hug or two each day for their emotional well being, if possible. Some people are not comfortable with giving hugs. Ed thinks that my thinking about hugs is silly, for people have lived alone for years without many hugs or hearing someone say I love you. My old neighbor believes teenagers may not want parents to hug them or tell them that they are loved except maybe on their birthday. I think that hugs and saying I love you to family members is an excellent daily habit.

How fortunate are the folks who are surrounded by plenty of love and daily bread! I told Ed that we pack shoe boxes for children suffering from poverty, war, famine, disease, and disaster. We do it each year, so needy children will get a little hug from the shoebox of gifts for Christmas. These gifts say that God loves them in the name of Jesus. Many children in the world live in slums and lack food and loving attention. War and natural disasters can leave innocent children homeless and in great need. Operation Christmas Child helps disadvantaged children around the world.

Anyone can get a shoebox through the Samaritan Purse Organization and fill it with things that children need and what they can enjoy. The things disadvantaged children need may be taken for granted to many of us in Canada. Toothbrushes, bars of soap, combs, washcloths, T-shirts, socks, hats, etc. are personal gifts needed by countless children in the world. Children lack school supplies such as pencils, pens, crayons, notebooks, markers, paper, etc. All children need unique gifts that they can use and treasure like toys, yo-yos, jump ropes, balls, sunglasses, hair clips, watches, solar calculators, flashlights, etc.

Those filling a shoebox are asked to include a personal note of encouragement to the child receiving the shoebox. Photographs can be added so the child opening his or her shoebox can see who sent it. People filling the shoebox are asked to pray for the child who will receive the box.

Operation Christmas Child is conducted each year in November, reminding us of God’s Christmas gift, of the Christ Child, given for us at the first Christmas. We needed God’s help, as his children, disadvantaged by our sinful nature. So, God gave his Son, born of Mary, to become the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. God was reconciling the world to Himself in His gift of Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. God hugs and loves us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

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