Our Gift to the Unbeliever

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens was born into an impoverished English family in 1812. One of eight children in the Dickens Family, his father was a naval clerk who fancied becoming a rich man. It was a dream that was never realized.

Young Dickens would be a dropout who was gifted with great writing talent. He is often remembered at Christmastime as the author of A Christmas Carol, the famous novel published in December of 1843 that brought the poor young man immediate  success. The story focused on social injustices of his time through the eyes of a miserly old man and a crippled but joyful young lad whose father was employed by the miser,  Mr. Scrooge. In the end, the lonely old man found joy in giving unto others on Christmas Day.

As our calendars are turning to that time of year when we give gifts to our loved-ones, may we hear the whisper of God in the bustling holiday season and remember that all year-long we are a testimony of our Savior,  and the greatest gift we can give to those who have not yet placed their faith in Him is to see our love for Him lived out:

Keep your behavior excellent among the [unsaved] Gentiles [conduct yourself honorably, with graciousness and integrity], so that for whatever reason they may slander you as evildoers, yet by observing your good deeds they may [instead come to] glorify God in the day of visitation [when He looks upon them with mercy]. 1 Peter 2:12