Christmas

I could write about how joyful this time of year is. I could talk about how important the spirit of giving is, and how cool it is to see people in that mood. I could write about the sweet smell in the air and how I can't wait to get back home. I could. And you would all smile and say, "What a nice guy," or, "What a respectable young man." You might even send me a message telling me how beautiful you think my writing is. Then you'd get up from your computer and walk away.

But I am not going to write about those things. No, I'm in more of a mood to ram heads a little bit. Perhaps give complacency and apathy a bit of a kick in the face.

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Christmas---what is it? If you're reading this you're probably a solid Christian and would answer pretty predictably, and correctly. "It's about celebrating Jesus' birth!" And I do confess, I've grown up in the Church and in a Christian home where efforts were always taken to include Jesus in Christmas; to make sure we focus on the "real meaning of Christmas."

But that's just the problem, isn't it? Include Jesus in Christmas? People, do you include Donald Trump in The Apprentice? Do you include Jerry Seinfeld in the sitcom Seinfeld? No, you don't include them, they are the show!

And yet, every Christmas in my life thus far, Jesus has felt a little...well...forced.

"It's not just about the presents kids, it's about Jesus' birth."
"Yes, mom, we know."
"Okay, well now be good kids, so Santa Claus will give you presents."

We tell kids Jesus' is the "reason for the season," but then go lay down like trained dogs at 4 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. Seriously, people? In every other area of life we'd say actions speak louder than words, yet at Christmas time we seem to reverse this ideology. Are you really so ignorant as to think your feeble, slipped-in words speak louder to your kids than that shiny present in the shadow of the tree? Please, "Where you treasure is your heart will be also (Matt. 6:21)." And as far as I can tell, most of our treasure during Christmas time is being horded by Wal-Mart.

Where did all this come from? And why do Christians have such a hard time separating from it? Growing up in the Church (and even in my own family)I have seen how hesitant parents are to drop the whole Santa Claus spiel. I have seen how despite our Christmas Eve services and our manger scenes, we still stress and spend thousands of dollars each Christmas. Why? Why do we keep feeding the retailers? For what reason do we do this? Tradition? Who's tradition? God's? I don't think so.

Believe me, I can hear it already. "Michael, it's not that big of deal--it's just a little fun." Or maybe even you've already gotten to the defensive stage. "C'mon, can't people show they love one another a little bit? What's wrong with getting people stuff?"

Oh nothing is wrong, other than that view of love. What are you defining love by? I don't know about you, but I read the Bible:
"By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" (1 John 3:16).
Or, "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend" (John 15:13).

I don't know how much clearer it can be. Love is sacrifice--sure spending money is sacrifice...but do you really see that as the primary message of these passages...honestly? Please answer that honestly, because I know I've angered some people already, and they really need to stop and think.

Done?

Okay. Now, why do we keep doing all this? Why do we keep perverting a great Christian tradition? Well, let me take a shot at it. I think we western Christians have become so used to living in a so-called "Judeo-Christian" culture that, for the most part, accepts and even celebrates Christianity. I think because of this, we've allowed our world-view and traditions to get intertwined with America's. So much so, that I think a lot of us can't tell the difference between Christian culture and American culture--we, subconsciously or otherwise, see them as the same.

"Oh, but Michael, I'm totally against culturally accepted things like gay-marriage and abortion." Well, that's great, but that is not what I'm talking about here. I would call those things progressive culture, as there still are a lot of people, like you I'm sure, who are against them. I'm talking about our underlying, traditional culture that is generally accepted by mostly everyone without much thought. Things like marriage ceremonies, holidays, three meals a day--that type of stuff. Got it?

Now, I'm not saying we need to tear down the trees and lights. Nor am I suggesting there is anything wrong with having traditions, secular or otherwise, that are distinctives of our culture and heritage. That is, unless these things are hurting our faith. And I think, in the case of American Christmas, it is. We act pious by attending Christmas Eve services and putting manger scenes in our home. We talk about wishing our kids were less selfish and worldly during Christmas, but then consistently each year stock the tree with all the latest new toys. "Where ever do they pick up this attitude?" Duh.

Celebrate Jesus or celebrate Santa. But not both, please. Love should not be supplied via consumerism. Give someone yourself. Your time. Your care.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear,your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad,your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

Jesus, Matthew 6:19

Listen, there's nothing in the Bible about celebrating Christmas. But if we're going to set aside a day to honor Christ's birth anyway, let's be sure that is what we are actually doing.

---Grace and Peace---