A call to action

Today, the book study I attend, led by Becky, http://crinolinepagesinb.blogspot.com, finished up our reading of God's Politics. We've been struggling to get into it for months, and finally decided it best to read the last chapter and call it done. I'm glad that we didn't skip the last chapter, because I personally found it the most insightful and the most challenging. I would like to share a passage that I found particularly convicting:

"...he began to open up to us about how a workplace conflict had left him without a job and eventually homeless.
We all noticed that Matthew always carried around a large cardboard box, which he would carefully set down next to him. Exactly what was in that box? After the last night of class, Matthew came with us to a Call to Renewal organizing meeting at the Divinity School. Afterward, as we were in the refectory for refreshments, I looked over and saw that Matthew had opened his box and placed its contents on one of the tables. People gathered around to view a beautifully crafted model of a church made from white cardboard. All along the outer walls of the steepled church were the words of the prophets and the sayings of Jesus, beautifully written in Matthew's own hand--almost like caligraphy. Over the front door, Christ's words appeared, 'Come to me, all you who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.' Right beneath the words was a door, closed shut with a little padlock. The message was clear.
Matthew told me how he made his church and protected it from the elements. He smiled and said, 'Sometimes, people like the church so much they offer to keep it in their apartment for me, so it doesn't get damaged.' With a twinkle in his eye, he added, 'But they don't make the same offer to me. Only to my church.'"
God's Politics-Jim Wallis
Chapter 21 pg. 357

Really, one can take from this story whatever he/she wants, but I am convicted. I am reminded of an idea I had, a plan I made in an effort to serve those who Jesus refers to as "the least of these." The idea was based on the notion of Christmas. In college, I attempted to write an argument against the use of the term X-mas for the holiday celebrated on December 25th. I was strongly opposed to it because in my words, "We're not celebrating the birth of X!" My roommate reminded me that not all people who celebrate this holiday on December 25th, are celebrating the birth of Christ. They are honoring the day as a cultural holiday as it has been made, rather than a religious holiday... Many people don't even make the connection. But it was not right... It wasn't fair that America could just hijack the holiday, take it away from Jesus. But as I began to research for the paper I wanted to write, I made a discovery that may seem obvious to some. The early Christians (Acts, etc.) did not have a holiday set aside for the celebration of the birth of Christ. They did not need such a holiday. They celebrated the birth of Christ every day. I decided at that time that modern Christians should strive to be more like this. That we should be celebrating Christmas EVERY DAY. I wanted to figure out a way to start a non-profit organization with this principle as its foundation. I had grand ideas in which each day the Christmas Every Day Foundation would perform some service to an underpriveliged group--a different service for a different group EVERY DAY. I still think it's a good idea, and I want to do something with it... but I don't. I let it sit stagnant, hoping that someone else will start the ball rolling so that I can just hop aboard. I say I want to make a difference, I have the words of the prophets and Jesus written all over me, but when will I start letting people in?