Expecting: Charity

One of the most often recognized sounds of the Christmas season is the ting-a-ling-a-ling of the Salvation Army bell ringers. They begin popping up before Thanksgiving and spread from street corner to street corner throughout the holiday season. Their presence is not questioned but expected. The end of the year is synonymous with giving. We give presents to family and friends. We are mindful of tax-deductible end-of-the-year contributions toward organizations. We give to those who are less fortunate. It continually amazes me how pervasive the attitudes of giving and charity are throughout society during Christmas. We don't fight the spirit of giving; we give in. Sometimes willfully and joyfully, sometimes reluctantly and grudgingly. Society is divisive in so many ways--politically, economically, racially, religiously--but this is the one area where we unite every year. Charity is expected. It reminds of the greater expectation of Jesus' return where unity will become the norm and not the exception, where charity will no longer be necessary because the world will once again be as it was created to be, where our faith shall be sight. With each earthly day that passes, I long more and more for that eternal day.

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