My wife has a serious passion for baking, and normally makes about 120 Christmas cookies each year. I thought that was quite a few until we heard about Tim and Liz, who took holiday baking to a whole new level—they whipped up over 700 cookies (or 'biscuits,' as we say in Australia) this year!
What's the sweet motivation behind this epic baking marathon, you ask? Tim and Liz decided to spread some serious Christmas joy by blessing 100 families in their neighborhood. Armed with boxes of cookies, they hit the streets, going door to door to deliver their sugary delights.
Now, you might wonder if they included a Gospel tract in the cookie boxes. Surprisingly, no! Instead, they opted for a simple card with a cheerful "Happy Christmas" message. Why, you ask? Well, it turns out most of their neighbors are not exactly open to the Gospel. Tim and Liz aimed for something simpler—to crack open the door and kickstart genuine relationships in their community.
And the results are nothing short of amazing. Ten new families are now eagerly anticipating more interactions, and one person even approached Tim and Liz, saying, "We know you go to church. Could we have a chat about God sometime?"
Our daughter, Ruth, also shares our passion for baking. This weekend she invited a Nepalese family a Christmas street party outside her church. The children spent a lot of their time on the jumping castle and waterslide. Then they came to the photo booth where the workers were dressed in costumes from the Nativity story.
This gave Ruth the opportunity to ask, "Do you know much about the Christmas story? Could I tell you the highlights?" After getting their permission Ruth attempted to share the Christmas presentation she had watched on our website.
Ruth felt she had missed some crucial elements of the story, but her confidence was rekindled when she started talking about the symbolism behind the shapes of her cutout cookies. It was a touching moment as she connected her joy of baking with the deeper meaning of Christmas.
Encouraged by the warm reception, Ruth offered to bring some of her cookies to the Nepalese family's home, so they could continue the conversation about the true meaning of Christmas. The family, captivated by both the cookies and the heartfelt discussion, eagerly accepted her offer.
What opportunities will your Christmas cookies (home made or store bought) give you to talk about Jesus this year?
How about joining me in prayer?
"Lord Jesus, thank you for this special time of year. Thank you that we get to celebrate your birthday and share with the people around us how you came into our world. Thank you for the way You are transforming us, making us more like You and causing us to turn from sin. Now we pray that You will open our eyes to the opportunties You will give us to point people to You during this Christmas season. Let us think of, and share, the significance of the Christmas treats we enjoy. Amen".
Have a Merry Christmas.