Scripture:
And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Matthew 10:42
But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied. Acts 12:24
Reflection:
Have you ever played Dominoes? It is a game that is played by millions through the centuries. Dominoes were first documented in China between the 12th and 13th century AD, and in the western world where initially it was played in Italy in the early1700s and soon afterward spreading throughout Europe. Bone, ivory, or hardwood were the original domino materials with other materials such as stone, metal, ceramics, and glass having been used. To this day, it is uncertain whether the game of dominoes derived its name from the word ‘domino’, which once referred to the black hood-like accessory that priests wore, or directly from the word ‘dominus’, meaning “Lord or Master.”
There is something called the domino effect – something I think we all love to see as rows after rows of dominoes fall over making spectacular spiral effects. YouTube is full of examples that generate millions of views. In 1983, Lorne Whitehead published an article in the American Journal of Physics detailing the power of the domino chain reaction. What Whitehead proved was that each domino was capable of knocking over another domino one-and-a-half times it size. That means a two-inch domino can knock over a three-inch domino which in turn can knock over a 4.5-inch domino of proportional weight. This exponential effect means that the 18th domino has enough power to knock over the leaning tower of Pisa (well it’s already leaning, so that isn’t quite a fair example.) The 28th domino has the exponential power to knock over the Empire State Building. Whitehead showed the amazing results of something going exponential.
Christmas has become exponential. What started as a pregnant teenager giving birth to a child in a faraway country some 2000 years ago, has now captured at least a month of time for nearly every person in nearly every nation on earth. What started as 3 simple gifts given by the Magi, as extravagant as they were, have now become gifts shared amongst billions of friends and families from generation to generation and sending Amazon drivers scurrying around the world busy as bees.
Yet the true reason Christmas is exponential in its impact is that what began as a child in a manger has become the salvation and redemption for all mankind. This gift from God, if only received, produces abundant and eternal life for all who would believe and confess that Jesus is Lord.
I think that this Christmas it would be good to remind those you love of the amazing exponential effect of the gift of Jesus. As we continue to love and invest in the lives of others, we proclaim Christ’s coming until he returns. We never lose when we love and proclaim Jesus our ‘dominus’, our Lord and Master.
Merry Christmas from mBridge!
David
P.S. Please consider encouraging those ministries that you support by blessing them with something extra this Christmas season!
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