Do you remember learning of Helen Keller, the deaf and blind heroine of the early to mid-20th century? One of her habits that might not be tolerated in today’s society was to touch and feel (and I mean really feel) the face of the people she met. Feeling someone’s face was her way of learning to speak and to discover what someone looked like; it didn’t matter if you were the President or a pauper. Unlike a physical touch, our faith depends on a different kind of feeling, for we believe in Christ even though we cannot physically feel or see him.

As we celebrate Christ’s birth during this season, we will experience a multitude of feelings. Sure, we can physically touch our loved ones, the tree, and the gifts, but Christ’s birth is something to be experienced and believed, not touched physically. Christ’s birth, like our faith, is something we feel spiritually in our hearts, not physically in our hands. The Bible has multiple verses about faith without seeing, but consider this quote from Helen Keller: “the best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched—they must be felt with the heart.” This season, fill your heart with God’s love and let others feel his love through your verbal and physical encouragement: a gentle touch, a kind word, a simple favor. Of course, a gift they can physically feel is always appreciated too…

Rob Strode, elder