By Vijay Jayaraj

Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, came to rescue mankind from the clutches of sin. For Christians, He is the Lord and Savior. Every year, we remember His birth by celebrating Christmas. Celebrations can have various forms. One way to celebrate is to help those who are in need, both physically and spiritually.

During His ministry on the earth, Jesus used stories and proverbs to teach us lessons. He also used simple and straightforward statements that lay out the guidelines for a Christian life. He instructed us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and shelter the homeless.

Across the world, thousands of organizations and individuals help the poor, not just during Christmas, but throughout the year. A person I know goes out in the streets every week to distribute food, water, and blankets among the homeless. Organizations, with Christ as their foundation, cater to the wellbeing of the abandoned elderly, widows, and orphans.

There are also organizations that help implement Biblical guidelines on resource utilization, economy, education, and governance. These aspects are as important as the direct handouts that we give to the poor. Indeed, healthy, productive economies are the only thing that lift and keep people out of poverty long term. It is critical that we help a person not only with their immediate need but also help them achieve long-term progress in their lives by creating an economic ecosystem that offers jobs, income, and wealth.

Churches also played a key role in the addressing the needs of the illiterate by establishing educational institutions across the world, including primary schools and globally renowned universities. This transformed individuals, homes, and communities.

Significantly, Jesus’ call was to serve not just people’s physical and intellectual needs but their spiritual needs as well. In fact, physical needs alone cannot quench a person’s hunger and thirst. Jesus says in Matthew 25:37–40, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to Me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.”

Jesus has made us conduits of His grace. He handpicked us even before we knew Him. Even before we were formed in the womb, He knew us and chose us. Now, He expects us to pray and seek His divine intervention in the lives of those around us, especially those who are yet to be filled with the living bread.

This season, lend a helping hand to those around you, both the known and the unknown. But also pray for them to find the bread and water that will truly satisfy them. Pray for your neighbor, your friend, your relatives, your colleagues, and your leaders. And don’t let opportunities to tell them the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection to save sinners slip by unused!

Pray for the displaced people in the war-torn regions of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Pray for the young generation whose lives and future are under constant attack from cultural conflicts. Pray for the economic system and the need for sound policies that bring about growth in people’s lives.

Pray for more than a billion people in our world who still use wood, cow dung, and coal for their daily cooking and heating needs. Pray for billions across Africa and Asia who still cannot access electricity on demand but instead live in abject energy poverty. Pray for wisdom among leaders in the developing world to use their time and energy to bring development to their countries.

Be assured, the Lord hears your prayers. The Lord also enables and empowers you to help those in need. What other joyous occasion than Christmas to make our lives available to God in prayer and action?

“For you were bought at a price; Therefore, glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” —1 Corinthians 6:20

Vijay Jayaraj is a research associate at the CO2 Coalition, Arlington, VA, and a contributing writer for the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation. He holds a master’s degree in environmental sciences from the University of East Anglia, UK, and resides in India.