The Irish and the Choctaw

    During the Irish Potato Famine in the late 1840's, the Choctaw Indians sent $170 to people in Ireland in an effort to provide disaster relief. The Choctaw Nation knew well what starvation was. It was less than twenty years since they had walked the Trail of Tears, leaving behind many loved ones in shallow graves. Their experiences with the horrors of starvation gave them empathy toward the plight they heard was unfolding an ocean away. The difficult situation they had faced helped them to focus on the important things of life and reach out to others they saw struggling.

    This December, as Christmas day draws near, it seems that for many of us, our lives are steeped in uncertainty. Some are no longer able to depend on the normal family celebrations. For those of us who are teachers, a few may feel like a certain element of Christmas was cancelled along with our annual program. There may be youth groups who are unable to carry out their usual activities. All these things have the potential to start feeling like hardships. Perhaps we subconsciously imagine the "Merry" has disappeared from "Merry Christmas."

    For the heart that is turned toward Christ, all the disappointments of the season do not dim the true meaning of Christmas. In fact, just as hardships caused the Choctaw to value the things that matter most in life, we are learning to value the things that Christmas really stands for. A holiday spirit is not found only in carrying out our family, school, youth, and congregational traditions. We can also discover the meaning of the season in other ways as we concentrate more on the Christmas values of joy, love, and peace and less on the sometimes stressful traditions we are used to. 

    Do I miss the traditional Christmas activities? Absolutely. Yet I also feel this is a season in which we are being reminded once again of the futility of attaching ourselves too much to the things of this world. We have this chance to make sure our hearts are securely anchored in Heavenly things. It could be we also will find ourselves carrying these values into the New Year more than we have other years.

    The story of the Choctaw and Irish did not end with the $170 donation. In this year of 2020, as the Coronavirus pandemic has unfolded around the world, the Choctaw nation was particularly hard hit. In interest of paying back the kindness once bestowed upon their ancestors, Irish donors have reached out to give over $800,000 in relief funds to the tribe. 

    This story warms my heart. There are times when we feel certain it isn't worth the inconvenience of giving of ourselves to others. Sometimes we feel the responsibility to reach out belongs to someone else entirely. We excuse ourselves, saying we don't know the person well, or maybe not at all. The Choctaw forefathers were not acquainted with the Irish people who were suffering. They had no way of knowing their kindness would be repaid many years later. But none of that kept them from reaching out.

    When Christ came to earth that long ago Christmas night, he did not come only for those He met personally during his life. He did not plan redemption only for those who recognized His existence. He came for all. His grace extends to mankind the world over. The hearts of the faithful, too, are ready to extend the hand of love to all we see about us.

    Sometimes we wonder why we must live through unpleasant things. I am not here with all the answers, but I do believe instead of wallowing in self-pity, we can reach new realms of empathy, and rise, with God's help, to a secure joy in Him that will give us the ability to touch the hearts of those around us with the true spirit of Christmas as we discover new meaning in the story of a baby born in a manger one long ago night in the far away hills of Judea.