No, I'm not going to go all "John Lennon" on you, but when I listen to the song I do think he captures some important points that Christians in the wealthy, Western World must wrestle with. (That might be a blog post for another time...)
In fact, I'm not 100% sure where this one is going. I simply felt that as Christmas Eve approaches, it was a good time to write.
Yesterday I taught in our Sunday school at church. I talked with the children about traditions. How in the Old Testament the Israelites were a people of tradition. I explained that their rituals and traditions were meant to help God's people remember who He is, and all that He had done for them throughout their history. We talked about how eventually though, those traditions became more important than the relationship.
Eventually, those tradition became times of buying and selling, rushing around and "doing" the tradition. (sound familiar?)
When Jesus came, among many other things, he sought to correct the "missing the point" that had crept into and taken over the rich traditions of his people. Jesus pointed us back to relationship in a new and complete way.
I know, I know... we've all heard the sermons and read the posts on materialism, greed and stress at the time of year we set aside to remember Jesus... but, it remains worth saying, because when I look around I see much stress, anxiety, over-spending and a lack of kindness or even courtesy, behind a mask of getting ready for "the holidays" when we apparently focus on kindness, generosity and love.
Last night during our family devotion, we talked about anticipation. An easy topic for kids to grasp on December 23rd. We talked about just how long Israel had been waiting for the Messiah. Man, did their eyes go wide when I told them it had been more than four hundred years!
It seemed God had gone quiet, and the world had become a very dark place for God's people. So dark, that when Jesus arrived... like a tiny candle in a dark expanse, most people couldn't even see him because they had been waiting so long.
Perhaps what I want to say this year is: Don't miss it!
As you enjoy family traditions, celebrations and feasts.. or, if this year is quiet for you and perhaps even less joy-filled. Don't miss it.
Look for the light, and maybe more importantly be the light. Jesus is our gift. He is the Light of the World. When you see the lights on houses, trees or anywhere, remember what they represent. Light, in a dark world.
Jesus came, and brought hope. An eternal hope. He called on his followers to carry that hope to the world.
So, go. Celebrate, feast and enjoy the season. Or, quietly reflect and pray and be where you are at. Do both even. But take the time to carry the hope we have in Jesus and spread the kindness and peace that our world so badly needs.
To quote Linus "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
Happy Christmas everyone!
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