Also on the schedule for later today is going to the local juvenile detention center and handing out gifts to the young people there. The purchasing of the gifts was made possible through the generous donations of some of my Facebook friends and some gift cards that were donated to the church.
Some might ask, "Why would you give Christmas presents to kids who are incarcerated? Isn't that a waste? Aren't there kids who are more deserving?" That question has several answers. The idea of rehabilitation vs. punishment is a topic for a whole different day. But I have two answers to that question.
The first is this: They are still kids. Maybe they have made some bad decisions, but who among us hasn't? We've been giving out gifts for several years now, and it's impossible to know the totality of the impact we've made. Maybe you help a young person come to understand that it is possible for people to do nice things for you without strings attached.
This past summer, I had a young man come to Bible study, and although I did not remember him, he remembered me because a year and a half prior, I had given him a small $5 Christmas gift. And it's not just physical presents - we share the Gospel with each of them.
The second answer is this - can you find a more beautiful example of God's love for us? While we were yet sinners, He demonstrated His love for us by coming to this earth as a baby, living a sinless life, and going to the cross as a willing sacrifice for our sin. He had nothing to prove to us, yet He proved His love for us when we didn't deserve it.
That's really what Christmas is about - Emmauel - God with us!
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