The Anthony Family sends you Christmas Greetings

May you be especially blessed this Christmas Season!

“To the saints who are also faithful in Christ Jesus,
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”
Ephesians 1:1-2

With these, or similar words, the Apostle Paul always begins his letters to the Church.  There is frequently a misunderstanding of the word, “saint.”  Many people believe a saint is one who lives a “holier than thou” life and is to be revered.  Because of this misunderstanding, my mother wanted to make sure her grandchildren understood that a saint is who has received Christ as Lord and Savior and has been, as the original language reveals, “set apart” unto God.  She read this verse aloud to some of her younger grandchildren, and then asked, “What is a saint?”

Well, one of the youngest looked wide-eyed, wanting to make sure of a good answer for Grandma.  Recently, the child had been in a church with beautiful stained glass windows with the sun shining through.  She got this answer,  “A saint is one of those men the light shines through.”  Out of the mouths of babes…!!

Jesus Himself declares we “are the light of the world.” He further tells us to “let that light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father, who is in heaven.” (Matthew. 5:14, 16)

If we have received Jesus as Lord and Savior,  His light is to shine through us.  That doesn’t mean it will shine through in ostentatious piety, but rather in a quality of life that is radiant, shot through with integrity, motivated by tenderness and consideration for others.  It will shine through in the offices where we work, or upon contacts we have as we go about our daily lives.  It will pierce the darkness of the world around us and bring hope to a sighing, crying, dying world.

Let your light shine!
Who will you tell this Christmas Season about
God’s Greatest Gift—the Light of the World?