Guest Post by Cindy Tumey, who facilitates a Discovery Community and lives in Garland Texas.

During this year, we’ve experienced a pandemic along with a nation filled with division and sin. We’ve struggled in different ways either, physically, financially, emotionally, or spiritually. Our whole world has had these struggles. However, through it all, God calls His children on mission for the glory of the good news of Jesus Christ.

2020 Christmas Blessing – A Missional Opportunity

You are going to think this is strange, but the idea for a 2020 Christmas Blessing came to me when I purchased a book of stamps at the grocery store. No kidding! (More on that later) If you are like me, when listening to God’s Word, it often leads to His call for action. Let me explain to you how this came about as a missional opportunity through a series of events over the period of a few days. 

When our pastor, Larry Venable, gave a sermon about “The Vision and the Mission of the Church,” based on Matthew 9:36-38 and John 4:35, he encouraged us to see and to have compassion for all people. His message rekindled a desire inside me to respond. 

Then I read two blog posts here at Called to the Journey: “Praying to BLESS Others” and “Looking to See the People Around Us.” Matthew tells us that “Jesus saw the people and had compassion on them.” (Matthew 14:14 NIV) These posts sparked me to go beyond saying, “God bless you,” to doing something tangible. 

In our Discovery Community, we read Genesis 13:1-18 where Abram and Lot going their separate ways. Near the end of the story, God told Abram, “Look around from where you are…I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth” (Genesis 13:14-17.) 

Oddly, It was verse 13 that stood out to me, but I was not yet sure just why.

Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.

Our group always asks this question, “What does this passage say about God? I reflected back on the story and verse 13. I thought about Abram living in Canaan while men were sinning greatly against the Lord. As I asked myself what the text was saying about God, a lightbulb went off in my head. I came to understand the He will bless people even in the middle of a wicked and sinful land. 

A few days went by and I was still pondering over God’s Word that came to me in all these places. What is the meaning? Why am I still thinking about it? Then one day, I went to the grocery store. I asked the cashier for a book of stamps, and something clicked in my head about what to do. God’s message and mission were clear to me. In the year 2020, full of all sorts of difficulty, “See 20 people and bless 20 people.” I know you are thinking, how did a book of stamps make her think of this? One book of stamps contains exactly 20 stamps. I can’t explain the rest.

The 2020 Christmas Blessing Challenge and Plan

God placed a missional opportunity before me, and I want to pass it along to you. The “2020 Christmas Blessing and Challenge” is for us to see 20 people as Jesus does, with compassion, and to bless 20 people tangibly.

Vision – See 20 people

Look and see the people. Pray for God to show you who needs a blessing – neighbor, friend, teacher, nurse, relative, cashier, waitress, delivery guy, etc. Write their names down. Pray for them. Use the BLESS acrostic from Praying to BLESS Others. 

B – Body
L – Labor
E – Emotion
S – Social
S – Spiritual

Mission – Bless 20 People

Tangibly bless the people. Get creative, use the talents and gifts God has given you. Make this a family project if you like. Get your Discovery Community, small group, or simple church involved. Some examples are: bake cookies, make a Christmas stocking and stuff it with small items, make a Christmas ornament, sew a mask, give out candy canes, etc. 

Remember, whatever you decide to do, share the good news of Jesus Christ. Along with the gift, you might include your favorite scripture and or personal note on how God has helped you throughout this difficult year. You may choose to add a personal written prayer and or a poem or song. 

Join the journey, be on mission for Christ our Lord!