“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40
Christmas can be a very difficult time for many people. Even though many people are cheerful and giving, many can get overlooked. Every year for Christmas, the Christian Care Center Men’s Residence likes to remember those in need that might not get any presents or cheer.
We feed a hot meal every day at 4:30 pm here and we feed up to 45 guests a day. For Christmas, we reach out to our community and ask for donations so we can fill stockings for our dinner guests. Each guest gets a little holiday cheer with a stocking full of toiletries, candy, flashlights, hand warmers, Bibles, and gift cards to McDonald’s and Dollar Tree.
To many it might not be much, but to me it’s not about what’s in the stocking, it’s about the love that goes into filling the stockings. We want each guest to know they are loved by our community and most of all they are loved by God. Each stocking also gets a little card, and in the cards were notes and scriptures handwritten by our residents here.
The community and the men were full of joy being able to give back some of the love that they themselves have received from the Lord. This Christmas was a cold one, so the community also gathered coats and blankets to give out to keep our guests warm through the winter.
God also says give and it will be given unto you. The men serve these guests without expecting anything in return, but instead on Christmas morning they were each greeted with a Christmas basket full of goodies for themselves. Throughout the week volunteers poured love into them with holiday treats and presents to encourage them to continue to fight this good fight against addiction.
Many people overlook the homeless and the addicted during the Holidays, but God never does. Instead, He says “whatever you do for the least of these you have done unto me.” If you would like to find out how you could serve the Lord while serving here at the men’s center by either volunteering, donating, or praying please email Jamie@christiancarecenter.org to find out.
