Christmas Light
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. John 1:9
Children change things.
Prior to having children (and now grandchildren) Christmas was a pretty low-key event for my husband and me. It was okay with him if I put up a tree but it was not a necessity for him. For me, it was a cherished tradition.
After children, we were living in the city of Reading and Christmas trees were sold on a corner close to our home. My kids remember all of us getting bundled up and taking a wagon the three blocks down and back to bring home a tree. My husband set it up and put the lights on it and then we decorated it.
He was never big on outdoor decorating, either. Lights on the house were not on his “to do” list for Christmas. But, when our daughter wanted lights he put them all around her bedroom windows on the back of the house, second floor, so she could enjoy them after dark. All she had to do was ask.
Then, after we had moved out of our bigger city house into a smaller house in the suburbs, we had GRANDchildren living with us and they wanted outdoor colored lights. Much to my delight and amazement (not) my husband was easily persuaded by his four-year-old granddaughter of what a great idea this was. He took our old 9-foot artificial tree that we used in the higher-ceilinged city house and put it on the front porch with LED colored lights on it. It was bright and beautiful at night. Our grandchildren were very happy.
What we found out a couple of weeks later was that we had a neighbor who was also delighted with it. He was an elderly gentleman whose wife had been placed in a nursing home a few weeks before Christmas. Like most men in that situation, he had no Christmas decorations up. He told us he loved sitting in his living room at night looking at the lights. He felt like he had his own tree lighting up his house.
So here we are at Christmas time and I’ve been thinking about the lights. What is it about lights at Christmas that make them so enjoyable, so meaningful to us? We use more candles, more little lights on everything we can, and we talk more about being a light to the world during this season.
Isaiah prophesied about a light. In Isaiah 9:2 he said, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.” It becomes apparent in the rest of the passage that he is prophesying the coming of the Messiah. Jesus Himself said that he is the “Light of the world”. John 1 introduces Jesus as the Word who was with God from the beginning, all things were made through Him, “and in Him was life , and the life was the light of man.”
What is it about Christ that was like a light? What is it that He illuminates for us?
He is a sinless man/God. In His thirty three years on earth He perfectly obeyed God the Father. If He got angry it was righteous anger. When He ate with prostitutes and tax collectors it was for God’s glory and their good, not just to pat himself on the back for being such a great guy. He spoke truth, loved always, and was compassionate.
That’s a lot of light to shine on a sinful world. When that Light hits us, our sin is obvious. We do not meet the standard He has set. We are not sinless, we are disobedient, we get angry and display unrighteous attitudes and behaviors. When I compare myself to Him I fall way short of the expectations. I see my own sin.
That is the Light that God sent to shine on me and all He calls to Himself. When we see our sin we recognize our need for a Savior. The “Light” is the light Matthew 1 tells us was coming to save us from our sin. Once we see it in the Bright Light of Jesus Christ, we can turn to Him and seek forgiveness and salvation in Him.
As the children of God His Light is shining on us (and in us). Is it illuminating some sin that we need to deal with before God so that His Light will shine through us to others He is calling to be His children as we celebrate His coming to save us from our sin?