But Christmas can also be an extremely hectic time of
year: parties, presents, traffic,
year-end deadlines, the spending, family, traveling, and yes, the holiday
weight gain! Suicides go up, debt goes
up, blood pressure goes up, and weight goes up!
Though we look so forward to Christmas, we sometimes look equally
forward to it ending.
I wonder, did Jesus really intend for his birthday to be
this hectic? Did he really intend for
us as Americans to spend over $450 billion every year on Christmas? Did He really intend us to eat more, travel
more, stress more, spend more, and sleep less as we celebrate His birthday?
Did He really intend all of this or have we done it
ourselves?
Many Christians focus all their energy during the
Christmas season on the hectic traditions of Christmas and yet focus very
little energy in comparison on the real meaning of Christmas: Christ.
Is it any wonder why the “Politically Correct Police” are forcing people
to not talk about Christ at Christmas?
Think about it, they are just asking us to do what we’ve already done in
our celebration of Christmas: make it
about something other than Christ.
I want to challenge you and your family to do something
this Christmas: spend less time, less
money, less thought, and less stress on the traditions of Christmas and focus
more upon the reason for Christmas.
Think less about the gifts you are going to get and the gifts you are
going to give and think more about The Gift He has given and about The Gift
that He wants us to give our friends, neighbors, and family.
2013 years ago a little baby boy was born quietly in a
dirty, smelly manager. There were no
lights, no trees, no ornaments, and no eggnog…in fact very few people even
noticed at the time. His name was Jesus
the Messiah. He was “God with Us.” He came, lived, died, and lived again so that
you and I could have the greatest gift God ever gave: eternal life. That’s Christmas…simple, powerful, and
eternal.
