Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth…. “You are the light of the world.”

The holiday season is upon us.  It’s the time of year that some refer to as the season of giving, while others may think of it as the season of getting.  We may have more awareness and more focused opportunities to give at this time of the year, but we should always be in a season of giving.  In the spirit of helping others and building the Kingdom, we must be generous with our time, our treasure and our talents regardless of the time of year.  Jesus said, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” in Matthew 5:16.

Time is our most precious resource.  You can’t save up time. You can’t refuse to spend it.  You can’t set it aside.  Are you “making the best use of the time” as Paul commands in Ephesians 5:16 and giving your time to help and serve others.

In Luke 12:21, Jesus warns us of the one who “lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”  In Matthew 6:20-21, Jesus commanded “lay up yourselves treasures in heaven.” Paul reminds us that “God loves a cheerful giver” in 2 Corinthians 9:7. Social scientists also tell us that spending money on gifts for others or giving to charity significantly boosts our well-being.

Our talents may be the easiest to use.  It is all about finding what we are good at and using it to glorify God.  In the parable of the talents, Jesus called the one who hid his talents, “wicked and lazy” in Matthew 25:26.  Paul instructed us to use our talents together to build up the body of Christ in Ephesians 4:14-16.  Are you fully utilizing your talents to help and to serve others so that God will receive the glory?

Enjoy this holiday season! Spend time with the people you love. Never miss an opportunity to give of your time, your treasure and your talents to glorify God and to build up the body of Christ.