Hey there random strangers, and friends.
I am going to jump the gun here a little bit and say Merry Christmas a few days early, because I don't know how much time I am going to get over the next week to do so.
Christmas for me when I was little was always skewed. I never understood entirely what the meaning of it was. I didn't really know why we celebrated it. It always seemed pretty hollow to me. I mean sure, it was fun - we got off of school, we got lots of presents and there were pretty lights everywhere. That part was great. But why did we do all of it? I never understood this growing up.
Last Christmas was my first as a Christian. My first understand the reason that we celebrated Christmas was the celebrate the birth of Christ. I understood this to an extent, but as a very young, very uneducated Christian, I still didn't REALLY understand it.
This Christmas I understand more, but I still don't think I get it, and I don't know if I ever will. I mean, how can I get it? First, I didn't exist in that day, and if I had, which group would I have fallen into? The ones who dropped everything and followed him? Or the ones that clamoured for his crucifixion. It is with complete shame and humility that I recognize I would have probably been in the latter group. Second, while I gain mightily by Jesus' birth and eventual death, I don't understand. I don't understand what he went through. I don't understand the price he paid to come down to earth and take on the likeness of a man. I don't understand the price he paid to walk this earth for 33 years and exist in the complete brokenness of us. I don't understand the price he paid on the cross. And even in my complete misunderstanding of that, it is the single most powerful, the pivotal point of my life.
So, this holiday. It is about Jesus, right? Most 'cookie cutter christians' would agree. It is a day to celebrate Jesus and his radical ministry on earth. So how do we do that? We spend time with family. We spend ridiculous amounts of money on presents and food. We eat chocolate. We have advent calendars. We decorate a tree and put a star on top. Maybe an angel. We say grace and give thanks to Jesus. We sing carols.
I think this is almost as hollow to me as the Christmas' I spent my entire life. We are using this holiday to celebrate our gracious saviour. So why are we doing it in ways that bring glory only to us? Get the right present, spend the most money, make the best desert, have the best ugly christmas sweater. I am guilty of all of these just as much, if not more than my human counterparts.
But when I take all of this and compare it to Jesus' ministry, I have to admit to myself that this is not how Jesus would celebrate Christmas in my opinion. Instead of going to his favourite peoples house (or not, depending on your in-laws), and giving presents, and eating way too much, and singing, he would instead be out healing the sick, and loving the marginalized. He would be out braving the weather, and travels to extend the power of his love and grace to those that feel that they don't deserve it. In a modern context, Jesus would not be in his families warm, happy home. He would be in down-town Detroit walking amongst the prostitutes, drug addicts, homeless and marginalized of our time. In other words, the lame and leper of modern times. Not only would he be there, but he would be loving them in all of their brokenness. Not the kind of love where we give food and warm clothes out of obligation, but instead the kind of love where He gives the very clothes off of his back and acts and feels as though he was the one given the gift and joy.
So what is Christmas spirit, friends? How do we celebrate the birth of our saviour? How do we go about glorifying God, and not just our own desires? and the most terrifying thing of all: What would Jesus say or do to us today if he saw the way he celebrated him? Would be tell us that we are doing a good job, or would he call out all the selfish, stubborn pride and sin in us?
United States of America
Looks like another silent night
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we're lying in the dark
There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night
America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleeping
Will we be sleeping
United States of America
Looks like another silent night
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