I was asking myself, "How can I honor Jesus as we remember His birth?" Bible tells us that He came to earth for an important reason, to save us from our sins. Isaiah 1:18 (ESV) further explains that He wants to make us clean, "...though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."
During the Christmas season, people try to show kindness to others, especially the poor, to honor and please Jesus. But in Isaiah 1:13, God said, "Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me.... I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly." It is basically saying that the services we do and the masses we attend are unacceptable to Him if there is any disobedience in our lives.
Before Jesus promised to make us white as snow, in Isaiah 1:16 He said, "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, [17] learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause." The whole Bible tells us that obedience is more important than sacrifice.
So as we remember the birth of Jesus, let us give Him the honor that He deserves. Before thinking of any gift to give to Him or any sacrifice to make for Him, let us give Him the thing He asks from us. In John 14:15 He said, "If you love me, you will obey me!" Pleasing Jesus will not cost you anything financially, but it will require that you honor Him wholeheartedly.
