Like many of you I have very mixed emotions about the commercialization of Christmas. As I have remarked before in previous blogs – Christmas was originally a birthday celebration for Jesus, our Lord and King. Now, he is seldom invited to his own party! All of this hype about buying and giving leaves us with mixed feelings that all of us probably share.
I’m Sad
Yes, truly sad that American Christians have so neglected the gospel that our own religious holiday has been stolen from us. Christ-mas used to belong to us as Christ followers. The Grinch or others like him have crashed our birth day party. Our Jewish friends still have Hanukkah, the Muslims still have Ramadhan, but all we are left with is a manger scene with no baby in the manger! When I receive a Christmas card from my Christian friends that wishes me “Happy Holiday’s” or “Season’s Greetings” it actually saddens me. Why do we think we have to sell out our baby Jesus for political correctness? How sad that the American church is so weak, so compromised, so bought and sold out to Madison Avenue that we have given in to the total takeover of our sacred celebration. All this abandonment of traditional Christmas truly saddens me.
I’m Mad
My second emotion is anger! I’m mad as can be that my country that once loved and honored Christ and his birth has drifted so far left that Jesus is no longer central to our thinking or our beliefs. I’m mad that the post-modernists have won the day in our schools, politics and daily life. Yes, I’m sad, but at the same time, I’m angry enough to not give in, give up, or give out. I would hope that multitudes of us who love Jesus would be as angry as I am. Let’s be mad enough to fight back, stand up, and shout out our love for the true message of Christmas. Each of us needs to embrace our “warrior spirit” and make every loving effort to restore the essence of what Christmas should be. If we are not mad enough to fight back, take back, and claim what is ours, we’ll lose Christmas forever.
I’m Glad
My best emotion about Christmas is joy! I’m glad, joyful, and genuinely blessed at this season of the year. I like the “giving” part of it all. Christmas deeply reminds me of who God is- He is our loving, giving Father. Christmas reminds me that God is ever and always a giving God! The amazing gift of His precious Son Jesus tells us God’s very nature is to give. He is gracious to the core! Because Christ’s spirit lives in me, I enjoy what he enjoys- giving my life away to others. Christmas brings out the best in all of us who know him. We give because God gave. Commercial Christmas can distort giving into receiving, but we don’t have to buy in to that, no not at all. I’m glad I can give, and give, and give some more. Not just give things, toys, and more stuff, but give others the love, care and kindness Christ has given me. I’m glad about Christmas because it reminds me that it is better to give than to receive. I need that reminder-and so do you!
Make this Christmas a Jesus-filled season-give! And be glad in it. |
