Q:
December 25: When the angels announced Jesus' birth, they said He would bring peace to the earth, didn't they? But we still have as many wars and conflicts as we've ever had, and I can't see that the world is getting any better. What difference has Jesus really made?
A:
Have you ever tried to imagine what the world would be like if Jesus Christ had never come? Thousands of hospitals and schools would never have been built; countless homeless shelters wouldn’t have been opened; massive humanitarian efforts to help those affected by disasters and famines across the world would never have been undertaken.
But Jesus Christ hasn’t just been behind efforts like this to make the world a better place. He also has brought hope and new life to countless individuals over the centuries since He walked on earth. I have never met a person who regretted giving his or her life to Jesus Christ — nor will you. They’ve discovered through personal experience that Jesus’ words are true: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).
Wars are a reality, and will be until the end of time. The reason is because down inside we all have a problem — a problem that can be summed up in one word: sin. But Jesus Christ made it possible for our sins to be forgiven — and more than that, He came to change our hearts from within.
Don’t reject the peace Christ offers you: peace with God, peace in your heart, and even peace with others. Instead, let this Christmas become the most significant of your life, as you open your heart and life to His transforming power and love.