Wednesday, December 23, 2020
Will the Real Christmas Please Stand Up
The hype is almost over. It is nearly time for stores that had Christmas decorations up before Halloween to start taking down the holly and tinsel.
By the time you read this article, chances are that you have all the names checked off your shopping list. Christmas cards will have been mailed and season’s greetings posted to your favorite social media platform.
In a few days, shoppers hurrying to find the perfect gift will be kicked back on the sofa watching Netflix.
With all the pre-Christmas rush and commercialism almost over it is now time to ask: will the real Christmas please stand-up?
It is the Christmas with a fire in the fireplace and the strains of "O Holy Night" coming from carolers (or a music streaming service).
The real Christmas is the giving of gifts to the ones you love because you love them, not because their names are on your list.
The real Christmas is waking up Christmas morning and reading about the reason for the season over a fresh brewed cup of coffee (or hot chocolate).
The real Christmas is when business and building owners invest their own time and treasure to decorate their buildings windows and hang up lights on Main Street to spread beauty and holiday cheer. (See Ash Grove Main Street).
The real Christmas is an opportunity to be thankful for friends, family and our God for the blessings we have.
The real Christmas is the best of all possible times because it brings out the best in all of us. The good that resides in humankind bubbles up and the spirit of love walks the land.
The real Christmas can be a time of healing old wounds or rekindling old friendships.
The real Christmas is the one where money is dropped into Salvation Army kettles, people are generous to their neighbors and church congregations gather food, clothing and toys to share with those in need.
The real Christmas is a love filled experience that could be summed up with the following phrase: "Peace on earth and goodwill toward mankind."
The real Christmas is a time of miracles.
This year more than others, we need to be reminded that Christmas began with a miracle.
If there had not been a miracle birth at Bethlehem, no star in the east, no shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night, no "Silent Night, Holy Night," humankind would have missed the reason, intent and purpose of the Christmas season. Christmas is a birthday celebration of my Lord Jesus Christ. The blessings of hope, love, joy and eternal life that Jesus can offer is the real Christmas.
We need Christmas and what it does for us. It cleanses us and restores our humanity. It is the most human time of year. Here is hoping your family experiences a Christmas miracle and discovers love, kindness and peace this season.
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