Let's Light Our World!

From Luke 4: 18-19:14
 Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. 15 He was He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:  18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

In one of Jesus' first teaching appearance in the synagogue He read the Old Testament prophecy in Isaiah 61.  In reading it He let it be known that He WAS the fulfillment of that prophecy.  Jesus proclaimed to be the One who would offer good news (Hope) to the poor.  But He did more than "proclaim" it.  Jesus lived that Hope!  He was all about helping the poor and oppressed.  He not only "talked the talk," but He "walked the walk." 

What about us, the church....the Christians?  Are we backing up the things we proclaim to be by our actions?  Do the poor and oppressed around us see us as people of compassion and love or as people who just talk about it? 

How many people's lives might we impact this Christmas season if we spent less on those who already have too much and more on those who "have not"?  Whose dark world can we brighten this Christmas by putting hands and feet to our voices?

Prayer:  Jesus, please help us to learn to love the way that you love.