“May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God” (Psalm 20:5 NIV).
“Look! The Christmas banners are still up,” I told my husband as we drove through a nearby small town. Although the banners must have flapped in the wind for weeks, I noticed them for the first time in January.
“They’re so colorful,” I continued and commented on each symbol as we drove by: candles, snowflakes, snowman, Christmas tree, and gifts. The pattern repeated several times before we passed through the town.
“Where’s the banner for Jesus?” I asked. Why had Christ been left out of Christmas? Before long, I realized: Jesus doesn’t need a banner on the street. He wants to be displayed in my life.
The next day, as I drove through the same town again, I deliberately looked up at the banners with a new perspective. How could I be a banner for Jesus and show His love to others? I found plenty of opportunities.
6 Opportunities for a Banner Year
1. Apologize to my husband for my unrealistic expectations.
2. Smile and say thank you to a fast-food clerk.
3. Share my last two favorite Christmas cookies with a neighbor who also loves them.
4. Deliver pudding to a shut-in (her favorite—tapioca).
5. Send an encouraging note to a relative.
6. Pray for those I pass while driving down the street.
Although the city will soon take down its Christmas banners, we can lift up our banners in the name of the Lord all year long.
Let’s make it a banner year for Jesus!
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NIV).
About Lydia Harris
Lydia E. Harris is happily married to Milt, her sweetheart for 48 years. She has two married children, five grandkids, and is the author of a Bible study, "Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting" (AMG Publishers, 2010 release). She's also a tea enthusiast and writes the column "A Cup of Tea with Lydia."
