I’m in the middle of reposting the 5 most shared articles I’ve published in the past 12 months.  As we get ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas, this reminder is from last November:

There is a video on social media that is calling out Starbucks for their choice of an all red cup for the season.  I won’t link to it but you can do your own searching and come up with it.

The guy in the video says that Starbucks hates Jesus.  Here, let me quote him directly,

Starbucks REMOVED CHRISTMAS from their cups because they hate Jesus

Sorry but this is so un-Christlike.

About a year ago, I reached out to a church inviting them to participate with our church in a project to benefit the neighbors in our neighborhood.  One lady, who was not a member of either church but is actively leading a Christian prayer group in the neighborhood, came up to me and told me I should not invite the other church because the other church supported homosexuality.  Her comments surprised me, and saddened me.  Sorry but this too is un-Christlike.

What is Christlike?

Instead of creating hate and division, how about showing grace and mercy?  Instead of judging with our human eyes, minds and hearts, how about helping by demonstrating a willingness to serve?

Saturday I was blessed to be part of a group of volunteers that raked leaves of 30 yards in the Frances Slocum neighborhood of Fort Wayne.  You can see more here.

Let me tell you how this works.  A few weeks before the Leaf Raking Day, we put announcements on social media, in the church and school newsletters and bulletins.  The event was open to anyone and everyone.  It was not limited to people connected to Holy Cross School or Church.  It was not limited to people in the Frances Slocum Neighborhood.

This is the 3rd year we have had this event and the concept is simple.  The concept is to be a blessing and be Christlike in giving of time and energy.

Of the 30 homes that had their leaves raked in preparation for the city of Fort Wayne street departments leaf collection next week, only 3 were requested.  Two from the church and one from the neighborhood association.  The rest were houses we did in the past or ones that we noticed needed help.

There was not “qualifying” involved.  We didn’t ask if they knew Jesus, if they were Christians, if they were poor, if they liked gay people, or if they were, well anything.

We just went to work.  About 50 volunteers ranging in age from 6 to 76.  After lunch I double checked to see if we got all the houses we were planning on raking and noticed that three were missed by the crew.  So a few of us who were left went and made sure those homes were taken care of too.

This is just a tiny example of being Christlike.  It was a blessing to those who needed help with their leaves.  And it was a blessing to our hearts as we served.

The Christian Battlefield isn’t fought in a coffee shop, or in a public forum.  It’s doing good, one person at a time, (sometimes in groups like the leaf raking project).  Who can argue with that?