251: The extraordinary gift of Christmas with Commissioner Douglas Riley

At Christmastime, the spirit of generosity shines brightest. But we know giving isn’t just about what we give. It’s about how we give. And that’s why we’re calling this series: Give With Joy. 

Merry Christmas week, friend! From me to you, I hope this week and this Christmas celebration are meaningful for you.

Today, we’re closing out our Give With Joy series with a special Christmas message from our Territorial Commander, Commissioner Douglas Riley.

As we celebrate the season together, Commissioner Riley invites us to pause amid the noise and remember the heart of Christmas—the miracle of God’s love made known in Jesus. It’s a message of hope for the weary, joy for the heart that gives, and peace for all who make room for him this season.

So wherever this message finds you today—whether surrounded by family, serving your community, making those final preparations, or simply listening in for a quiet moment—may this reflection remind you that God is with us, and his gift still transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Listen and subscribe to The Do Gooders Podcast now. Below is a transcript of the episode, edited for readability. For more information on the people and ideas in the episode, see the links at the bottom of this post.

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Commissioner Douglas Riley: It’s great to be here today. But before I share a message, a thought and a devotion about Christmas, I’d like to share my sincere appreciation and gratitude to you, Christin, for your diligence, your hard work, and the ministry that you have through this podcast. 

You’ve been the heart and soul of the message to our listeners. You’ve created this podcast that meets needs, and it’s interesting and it’s helpful to thousands of people who follow you. 

So for these years of ministry, I want to say thank you. I want you to know the gratitude that we have for what you do. Because, Christin, you bring my heart joy. And I pray that all those who listen to these podcasts would be blessed and they would have that joy in their hearts as well. So thank you very much and may God bless you.

It was a simple night, chill in the air, stars like diamonds in the sky, no reason to expect anything else—an ordinary, simple night with an ordinary sky. Sheep lying around the hillside, sleeping, scrawny as they were, they were common animals. 

Shepherds were simple people too, nothing special. Ordinary shepherds, probably dirty clothes from the field, smelly, hungry, lying with their sheep, your typical night, somewhat simple. 

Not far from them, Mary and Joseph had come to the end of a long journey, a hard journey, some 90 miles on a dusty road, rutted road, no rest areas, no diners, passing people going the other way. It was a rough ride, especially nine months pregnant, arriving perhaps in the dark, tired, weary from traveling, only to find there isn’t a place. Exhausted, tired. On top of that, uncomfortable from birthing pains. 

A simple bed in a barn with a smelly group of animals. Only a trough for her expected child to sleep, which some historians would say wasn’t a trough at all as we would know it. It was simply a portion of the floor that was dug out. A desperate place in the midst of crisis and poverty. 

No bed, no help, no parade. Just a simple ride on a mule, a manger, a trough, and perhaps a pan of warm water.

But amidst the common, the night suddenly changed. It was no longer ordinary. And if it weren’t for God to intercede, it would have gone unnoticed. 

An angel comes in the calm of the night when all is dark, when all seems changing and troubled, when it’s hard for us to find peace and joy, and suddenly ordinary was no more. 

A star in the sky exploded with brightness. Sheep steered. Shepherds rub their eyes in disbelief, and the heavens themselves proclaim the message of glory. 

Isaiah 9:6 says: For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

In the middle of this rather ordinary, simple night, an announcement of the birth of the King.

I think of the words of the song [O Little Town of Bethlehem]: “Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.”

Well, that’s the joy of Christmas. Where all our hopes and fears are met because the gift of God, his son Jesus, God’s perfect gift to bring you joy and peace this Christmas.

This year has been a challenging year, 2025. And I want to make sure that you don’t miss this gift. 

It’s summed up in a familiar passage, John 3:16, which many of you can recite by memory—for God so loves you that he gave you the gift of his son, unwrapped, for you specifically that seemingly ordinary night that you and I might believe that we’ll have eternal life through him and that we would be saved. 

That’s the gift. That’s the hope. That’s the joy, the anticipation, the expectation, the excitement. And that’s why I love Christmas—not because of the food, the decorations, the lights, the smells, maybe getting a little muddy crawling under to cut a new fresh Christmas tree, the songs which help to bring me into the season—I enjoy it all. I love it all because we can have joy in the midst of all of this that is happening and happening this year, because we have the joy of a savior who is Christ the Lord. 

God’s motive was his love. God’s means was his son. God’s method is a gift for you to open—no strings, no hidden agendas. His love is real and his purpose is clear and you can trust him. 

Here at The Salvation Army, our mission is about hope and joy. To preach the gospel. That’s where we find hope. That’s where I hope you find hope in the gospel that Christ came and is coming back. And in that hope, it brings joy. And we find that joy in meeting human need in his name. 

And I hope you enjoy this Christmas, that you don’t miss opening the gift. It’s for you that it might bring you joy, hope and peace. You see, the gift is all we need for all we face—someone to trust, one to bring us hope and dissolve our fears. 

We so easily get caught up in the things around us, the events, the circumstances, the challenges, that we might just miss the joy and hope for tomorrow.

Don’t miss the extraordinary joy of Christmas. It’s a gift from God to you, for you. He did it all for you. “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight.” That is true for me, and that can be true for you. 

So take the ordinary out of Christmas this year.

Max Lucado says, “the mystery of God became flesh. Why he chose to come down and how much he must have loved his people is best pondered not with logic, but the mystery of God. In the mystery of Christmas, we find the majesty, joy and hope.”

Let me share a story with you about a woman in one of our shelters. She told me that when her husband suddenly died, she didn’t know what to do. She was lost, and she started drinking, and soon it consumed her life. She became so distant and irresponsible with the alcohol that she lost custody of her children, of her daughters. They had to be taken away for their own good.

But through The Salvation Army, she found hope again. This week, she’s going to celebrate Christmas with her daughters once again.

That’s joy. That’s what Christmas is all about. 

So as we gather this Christmas, we know the season brings many emotions. For some, it’s a time of joy. For others, a time of reflection, maybe fatigue or even grief. But wherever Christmas finds you, hear the good news again: God is with us. Hear this hope.

And I pray that you hear it again, that God is with us in the midst of the busy schedules, the twinkling lights, the wrapping paper. Pause and remember the heart of Christmas, the mystery and the majesty that bring hope and joy to your life.

In The Salvation Army, we ramp up to help others to find this hope and joy. A toy, a meal, or even a hug, we share God’s love in action because God’s love compels action. And that is why we do what we do. Because people matter to God, and so they matter to us. So today, if you’re feeling weary, let me encourage you. 

John 1:14 says: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

This is the gift that transforms every other gift. When we give, we give with joy; we reflect the generosity of God who gave himself for this world. And this is behind every act and motivates us to reach out to help others and those who don’t have food or toys or even a place to call home.

Let me speak directly to your heart if you hear this today.

If you’re feeling weary, know that God sees you. If you’re rejoicing, let that joy overflow into generosity so that you share it with others. And if you’re struggling, remember, the light still shines in the darkness. There is hope.

Christmas invites us to choose joy and giving, not just materialistically, but through our time, our compassion, our presence. Sometimes the greatest gift that we can offer is simply being there for someone else. So as you celebrate this Christmas, I invite you to take a moment and ask yourself this: What gift can I offer that reflects God’s love? Where can I bring light or kindness? 

You see, each of us has the capacity to bring joy, to encourage someone who needs courage, or to give, whether it be materialistic or just with our time or a smile. Consider sharing and acting. Extend personal kindness. Give locally. Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org to find ways that you can make a difference.

The heart of Christmas lives in these moments, moments of generosity and hope. So I pray that you may experience his love, his son, the gift for you to open. I pray that you unwrap it and celebrate with us. 

And if you’re ready to know this joy, may the peace of Christ, the joy of his presence and the hope that continues long after the wrapping the paper is gone bless you this Christmas.

Luke 2:10-11: But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.”

And in Romans 15:13, one of my favorite verses, it says: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.  

May your heart be filled with gratitude this Christmas. May your hands be opened and giving and your spirit renewed by the love that came down at Christmas. 

And so from all of us to all of you, we wish you a joy-filled Christmas. May you receive a special gift of hope that only Jesus can give. 

Merry Christmas.

Additional resources:

• Join us in giving joy to families who are experiencing poverty, hunger, job loss and more. Your generosity offers joyful reassurance that even during our most challenging times, we are not alone. 
• If you are enjoying this show and want to support it, leave a rating and review wherever you listen to help new listeners hit play for the first time with more confidence. 

Listen and subscribe to The Do Gooders Podcast now.