This time of year, the phrase “Christmas Spirit” gets thrown around a lot, but I often wonder what that really means.
Traditionally, I think that this referred to people’s willingness to help those less fortunate than themselves – because it’s a good way to celebrate the birth of Jesus, who always advocated helping the less fortunate.
However, for many people these days, it seems to mean nothing more than Christmas carols, fake reindeer and presents. But at a time of year when so many are thinking only about what they will get for Christmas, I am reminded of a Bible verse.
Acts 20:35 says, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.'”
As this Christmas nears, there are approximately 50 million people in this country living at, or below, the federal poverty guidelines. About nine percent of the nation is unemployed, and are no doubt struggling with the reality of trying to provide a good Christmas for their families, with little real hope of being able to do so.
This is true here in Northwest Ohio as much as anywhere.
A few days ago, I passed a gentleman standing on a corner near Kroger in Perrysburg.
He was holding a sign that read, “Family in need. Will work for wages, groceries, gift cards. Anything helps. God bless you.”
I figured that if anyone could accurately comment on the state of people’s “Christmas Spirit” this year, it is someone relying on the compassion of strangers for help.
So I pulled over, introduced myself and asked the man for an interview.
Speaking on the telephone that evening, Dean Bellmer told me that on a scale of 1 to 10, he would rate people’s willingness to help out at a 5. Bellmer said that there are times that people will roll down their window and call him over to their car and give him a dollar. “I don’t go up to anyone’s car unless they call me over,” he said, “I don’t want to bother anybody.”
Bellmer said he was laid off from his job as an auto parts painter about two months ago when the company went out of business.
He lives with his girlfriend (who works a minimum wage job) and the two of them struggle to support themselves and five children – three of them his, and two of them hers.
Bellmer said that he would rather have a job, but deals with his circumstances as best he can. “I’ve exhausted all the places I can go to look for a job,” he said. “There’s just nothing out there.”
The day that I spoke with him, Bellmer said that after spending about five hours on the corner, he had $26 that people had donated. “It was enough for two bags of groceries though,” Bellmer said thankfully.
When I asked him if he would like for me to print his telephone number (419-720-4338) in case someone was inclined to make a donation to him and his family this holiday season, he told me yes but to let people know, “That I’m not just asking for a handout. If someone can call and help me find a job, I would greatly appreciate it.”
A lot of people drive by Mr. Bellmer on the corner with his sign and think that he is just too lazy to work, or that he is a drug addict or an alcoholic. And in all fairness, outside of our telephone interview, I don’t know him personally.
But he seems to me like a decent man who has fallen on hard times, and feels like a sign and a corner are his only options.
Isn’t trying to help someone like that what the Christmas Spirit is supposed to be all about?
And while Bellmer’s story is sad, it is unfortunately not all that unique.
Many others are going through similar situations. I’m sure if we look hard enough, we could all find someone to try to help out (no matter how little we can afford to give) this Christmas.
In fact, I think that if we all “give,” it is exactly the kind of birthday present that Jesus – and our world – would love to “receive.”
Respond to Matthew at
