Christmas on the West End is one of the hardest things for me. I get so frustrated and there isn't much that can be done about it, right now, anyway. Everyone is so set in their ways on how things are supposed to go during this season, that a 180 shift could be catastrophic.
Last night I posted a number of posts on my Facebook, twitter and linked in pages. They were all thoughts that I have every year at this time. But this year they are stronger than ever. I can't wait until Christmas is over, this time of the year gives a false sense of hope to the giver and the receiver. A toy is going to save the world, really? It makes things better for a moment, long enough for the child to get to the next toy give away and get the next toy.
Whatever happened to us getting to know the families we give to. Now they just fill out a form. They have a face, but no name, not one that is going to be remembered anyway.
"Bring Hope to the West Side - donate a toy." Really? One day a year isn't going to change anything, it never has. If it did, we wouldn't need to give out toys anymore, families would be able to provide them for themselves.
Proverbs 14:12(NCV): Some people think they are doing right, but in the end it leads to death.
Are we really doing the right thing by giving toys to kids?
If we really want to bring hope, walk along side of a family for a year or join up with an organization that is serving in a more tangible way, other than just giving stuff.
Money would be better spent if people built a meaningful relationship with a family and found out what a family really needs. We'd be surprised to find what is really needed is love and friendship. But that may be a little more than what we are willing to spend. Toys are easier.
Every year at Christmas we see the same thing... people dressed up in Santa suits with big bags carrying boxes. We see organization after organization giving out hundreds, thousands of toys to children of which they will never remember the face or know the name of the child, let a lone the parent. We see parents rushing around looking for the next free toy give away. We can't even walk down the side walk with boxes without children stopping to ask us, "what's in the box?, Is it a toy for me?" Just this past Sunday at about 2pm we saw 4 different Santas walking or driving down the streets in the neighborhood.
(I know that Elf Louise is delivering gifts, but we also have Blue Santa, the motorcycle clubs, various churches, etc. Oh yeah, and let me be transparent and let you know that I will be helping out Elf Louise tomorrow. I will be driving to deliver gift in partnership with the TriHM an organization of which I am a member. But, like I said int he beginning, can't change things over night.)
You are probably saying, "this is great, people are being generous and giving." But it is ONE DAY.
Most kids don't even wait until Christmas to open these gifts. Kids are playing with their new toy almost immediately and within a day or two it is found broken or forgotten as they await the next "new" toy.
Hope doesn't come in a toy or a Santa suit. Hope comes in the being there. Being present for a family when they need someone to talk to, a shoulder to cry on. When they need someone to give them good sound advice about parenting, finding a job, going to school, disciplining their children, etc.
Jesus came to bring the gift of relationship, He was called Immanuel, 'God with us'. Yet we have made the three wise men and their presents the most important thing about that wonderful day.
The issue on the West End and all of San Antonio is not poverty of money it is poverty of the soul. And we all need the gift of relationship this CHRISTmas season.
Remember Jesus is the reason for the season.
Merry CHRISTmas, Everyone.
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