Do Not Give Up

This week we went door to door in our neighborhood and passed out candy canes with a little message about the hope of Jesus attached. We told people “Merry Christmas,” and “God loves you,” but more than not doors went unanswered.  

Mostly we were met with closed doors and full driveways. The hopeful person in me wants to believe that they just weren’t home. The negative in me believes they didn’t want to be bothered. As unfortunate as it is for people to not answer the door it’s more unfortunate for people not to answer the message of hope.  

But that’s what the Christmas story is. Door after door was shut on the mother of the Son of God.  

Christmas is not giving up. I believe that’s Gods mantra toward each one of us; “I will not give up.” It’s why he sent His son to be born only to die so we would never have to pay the rightful price for our sins.  

God cares so greatly for us that He picked a woman, a girl, to bear the King of the World that wouldn’t give up. She chose to press on. Some will read the story as if Mary didn’t have a choice but the fact of the matter is, Luke 1:38 “Mary answered, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.” 

Mary was willing. She was willing to embrace the adversity of being an unwed pregnant woman. She was willing to ride on a donkey for hundreds of miles at nine months pregnant; if that right there does not say ‘never give up,’ then I don’t know what does.  

Joseph didn’t give up on Mary. He could have walked away. He could have called her crazy. He nearly pooped himself when the angel came to him and told him to man up. But he didn’t give up. He raised and loved a little boy not his ‘own’. 

Jesus was willing to live among the brokenness and do exactly what God instructed, no more no less. He never gave up. Even hanging on the cross when he could have snapped his fingers and ended his pain He chose you and me. He chose never to give up on you and me.   

Christmas is about not giving up. It’s not giving up on sharing the message of hope. Christmas is a time of hope. Christmas is the hope of the world born to save us from impending death because of his love and mercy. 

So when you feel rejected or burnt out and burned down remember Christmas.  

Remember that you are loved. You were desired and yearned for so much so that before you ever walked this earth God came off His throne and walked among the brokenness to save us, to show us that we matter. 

This Christmas remember that you matter.