READ: MATTHEW 25:35-40; LUKE 2:15-20

Do you ever get that bored, depressed, or letdown feeling after Christmas ends? When all the fun and festivities come to a close and we wait for the new year to begin, it can be a bit, well, boring. But boredom can be a really cool opportunity to show Jesus’s love.

Think about your community. Other people may be feeling bored, depressed, or let down too, especially people who can’t get around easily, like those who are sick and can’t leave their home, whether that be an apartment, a house, an assisted living residence, or a hospital. Sometimes, these people in our communities get lots of attention before Christmas—carolers, visitors, programs, and so on. But when Christmas is over, they may be extra lonely. If you have some extra time, one option could be doing some research and finding out the best ways to serve these people at a time when they may be especially forgotten.

In a way, getting out in our communities and showing Jesus’s love has some similarities to what the shepherds did when Jesus was born. After seeing the baby Jesus—after the very first Christmas—they went and told others about Him, declaring His love for the world.

So during this year’s after-Christmas lull, consider how you might show Jesus’s amazing love to your neighbors! Christmas may be over, but we still have the opportunity to remember how Jesus came to save us, and we can keep sharing His love with others. • A. W. Smith

• What people in your community (groups or individuals) might be feeling especially lonely during the after-Christmas lull? Are you feeling especially lonely this year? Consider taking a moment to ask God for ideas of ways to share Jesus’s love with the neighbors around you.

• If you’d like to help people in your community, do you know of any organizations that are already helping? How could you find out more about them and learn from the work that’s already being done? After doing some research or talking to people from an organization, if you decide this is a place you’d like to serve, follow the steps for volunteering that they’ve set out. In this very tangible way, you can show the love of Jesus in your community!

After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. Luke 2:17 (NLT)