Posted by The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) chairman for Kaduna State has urged Nigerians to ponder more deeply on Christmas and the birth of Christ as the greatest gift ever given to the world for its salvation.
“It is a symbolic present that attempts to highlight to us believers the value of giving and the reality that there is absolutely no limit or restrictions to giving,” Rev. John Joseph Hayab stated in a Christmas greeting to Nigerians.
The main Christmas message, according to him, is selfless giving, which is why Christ was given. He urged Nigerians to practice selfless giving for the benefit of their entire nation’s development.
He continued by noting that in order for Nigeria to succeed and compete favorably with other nations, it currently required the Christ-like sacrifice from every Nigerian, despite the fact that it has all the necessary resources to set the standard in every area of life.
Rev. Hayab, the Country Director of the Global Peace Foundation in Nigeria, went on to say that Christ was given to the womb that bore him effortlessly. He also said that when he arrived, he was born in an inn that was not paid for, and the wise men from the East freely traveled to the location of the blessed birth in order to give him gifts, including royal, priestly, and prophetic gifts. In order to improve Nigeria and its general growth, he continued, “Nigerians should also learn to give from their hearts.”
He defended himself by saying, “Even during His ministry, He fed people with free bread and fish, and He gave up His life as a free gift for the salvation of mankind. Indeed, it would not be absurd to assert that “giving is the reason for the season,” highlighting the fact that “Our nation Nigeria today is dealing with the toughest of all times, things seem to be moving in regression, we do not seem to be growing as a nation, and daily people die from starvation, ill health, and poverty to name but these. The truth is that Nigeria desperately needs goodhearted folks who are prepared to sacrifice everything for the survival of the country and its residents.
He asserted that there has never been a time when this country has needed acts of kindness more than it does now. He said that just as Christ gave himself up for others, Nigerians are also called to sacrifice themselves for the sake of national unity, peace, and development because he believes that this is the only way the nation can overcome the challenges it is currently facing.
The act of giving is not only for the old or young, rich or poor, mighty or lowly, but rather, as long as people are alive, they have what someone needs to gain hope again as someone needs a meal, a kind word, a hug, a smile, or a small amount of money to have hope in life once more, Hayab noted. As leaders during this season, Nigerians must continually teach their people this lesson.
He claims that this time of year encourages Nigerians to take care of other people’s needs.
“We are not blessed by the quantity of the gifts we give; we are blessed by the caliber of the gifts we offer. A gift should be given out of love and with the sole intent of addressing the needs of others. This is a mindset that parents should instill in their kids from an early age since, according to the Bible, if we raise a child in the proper way, he will grow and not stray from it. Parents should provide for their children and teach them to choose what has been provided for them to offer to other people around who are in need. This is a call to action, not just a statement, he continued.
According to Rev. Hayab, many children need only the tattered pieces of toys that wealthy children no longer require, some children need clothing that other children are unable to wear, and parents should be seen during this season going above and beyond helping their kids choose these items and giving them to other children within their means. Additionally, churches, societies, associations, and individuals should be seen during this season meeting the needs of others.
He urged Nigerians to pray that as they celebrated the season, God would be kind to them, protect them, and give them the grace to fulfill their expectations so that in the end, only the name of the Lord would be exalted. He also emphasized that Nigerians should not forget to give to those in need during this season and that doing so will help them to make Christ always live in them by maintaining the virtue of giving even after the celebration is over.