“Present” Joy

 

Some negatives in life can have very positive outcomes. As I have watched inflation rise over the last 21 months or so, my wallet has felt the pinch. But, with Christmas around the corner, is it so bad to take our eyes off the spending in gift giving?

Just because we have to cut back on our spending does not mean that we have to cut back on our joy or enthusiasm for the celebration of the gift God has given us in Christ. For our children to adopt this attitude we will have to model it.

In the world, over the last three or four weeks, I cannot imagine how many times someone has asked a child, “Are you all ready for Santa to come to your house?” When people talk like this, it is apparent that the gifts are what Christmas is all about. I understand that for the world, and especially the children, the gifts are what it’s all about.

This should not be so for the Christian and as others feel the financial pinch, we are offered opportunity to point them in the direction of Christ (His presence rather than our presents.)

As Christian parents, family, friends and neighbors, how can we prevent fearful times from overtaking the joy of the day? What priorities should be demonstrated in our own celebrations?

Here are three suggestions to start with:

1. Christ is King. I applaud those families who truly treat their celebration as a birthday party. Whether or not we absolutely know that December 25^th is the day that Christ was born, let’s celebrate His birth as our top priority. Teaching children (and anyone else who is watching) the truth about His birth is a basic tenet of our faith. And, like all birthday parties, He will be our center of attention.
2. Jesus came to save us from our sin. We like to use the Wise men’s gifts as our excuse to give gifts. No problem there. But, the passages regarding the birth of Christ say that He is “Emmanuel, God with us,” and that He was being sent to “save us from our sin.” Do we include these truths in our discussions? The whole history, in all its detail, is important.
3. God chose to send Christ into a human family. His earthly parents made a bed for Him, loved Him, and cared for Him. What are we teaching others about the importance of family? I am well aware that not everyone has a good family or, perhaps, any family at all. How could we, as the Church of Jesus Christ, be strengthening our own families and inviting those who need to see a functional family into one that will embrace them? Are our own children being taught that family is a high priority in God’s plan for man?

On Christmas we will teach by how we live. Christ is King over all of life. Therefore, He should be the honored One in our Christmas celebrations. Unlike the kings of this era who expect their people to sacrifice for them, our King sacrificed Himself for His people.  Is His sacrifice for our sin even mentioned as we look at why God sent Him? And, as we look at the place of family in His life, will we examine who we have prioritized in our own lives?

Christ the King reigns over all the earth (1 Chronicles 16:31; Psalm 97:1).  If His presence is in our homes it doesn’t matter how many presents are under the tree, God will be honored in our Christmas joy. He will be obviously more important than the gifts to anyone paying attention.

What will others see of Christ in our Christmas celebrations this year?