God’s greatest gift to you is his Son, Jesus Christ. Let his generosity inspire you to be generous with others.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a story about a Christmas skeptic.
Many years ago, a man named Lee Strobel was a reporter for the Chicago Tribune. It was Christmastime and the newspaper wanted to run a story that would highlight the spirit of Christmas. Since Mr. Strobel at that time was an investigative reporter, he sniffed around and landed on what seemed to be a fascinating story that might serve his purpose. He had heard about a small family that had been burned out of their apartment and so he made arrangements to head down to downtown Chicago and conduct an interview with the matriarch of that family, Perfecta Delgado. He sat down with her and learned that she was sixty years old and took care of her granddaughters, Lydia and Jenny. Immediately, this woman, Perfecta, tugged at Mr. Strobel’s heart. She had debilitating arthritis which prevented her from working. And because fire had raced through their roach-infested apartment, it had destroyed everything. Her granddaughters had only one sweater to share between them in the frigid Chicago winter. The little Delgado family were left with virtually nothing. Theirs was quite the story, and so after the interview, Lee Strobel went back to his desk and wrote his holiday article for the Tribune.
After the article had been published in the newspaper, Mr. Strobel decided to go back to visit the family on Christmas Eve. And when he walked into their apartment, he was amazed to see that his Chicago Tribune readers had showered the little family with new furniture and clothing and cash. Even more astounding was what Perfecta did with much of her new wealth. She gave cash away to her neighbors who were just as poor as she was. This grandmother explained that her neighbors were in need, also. Plus, she knew that Jesus would want me to share like this. She said to Lee Strobel, “We did nothing to deserve this – it’s a gift from God. But it is not his greatest gift. No, we celebrate that tomorrow. That is Jesus.”
As a newspaper reporter, Lee Strobel was astounded. When he saw Perfecta’s joy and peace in the middle of all her poverty and loss from the fire, he was forced to reflect on his own anxieties, despite his plenteous lifestyle. Perfecta Delgado had made him think twice about this Jesus that she worshipped. He wanted to know this Savior who made it possible for a poor grandmother like Perfecta to have such hope in her great hardship. He went away from her apartment thinking, “Who was in that manger that first Christmas? Is Christmas more than just a feel-good fable?” Well, you can guess what happened next. Lee Strobel came to Christ, and he has spent most of his Christian life giving evidence to the truth of the Christmas story. He even wrote a book about that evidence called “The Case for Christmas” – fitting title for an investigative reporter with a legal mind, don’t you think?
Well, it’s a great little book and as a way of celebrating the astounding evidence which affirms Jesus as the Christ born in Bethlehem, I’d love to send you a copy of Lee Strobel’s book “The Case for Christmas.” It’s a great resource to give a friend who needs to know the truth about the baby in the manger. Strobel lays out the compelling evidence that convinced him that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Just go to joniradio.org and request your free copy. Supplies are limited, so be sure to ask for your gift today at joniradio.org. And God bless you, Perfecta Delgado, if you happen to be listening there in Chicago!
Finally, I want to thank this station for granting me these precious minutes in which I can share hope through your hardship every day. And I do pray you found my words hopeful today.
© Joni and Friends