The Reason for the Season

As a follower of Jesus, I am constantly amazed at the commercialization of Christmas. I know of no other faith that competes with Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny, but Christianity does.  I often wonder how this came to be and why. Wasn’t it enough that Christ died for us or that He was born in a barn and shared space with animals? Did we somehow feel compelled to water down the truth?

As I walked my miles this morning in the rain and the wind, I was thinking about a baby being born outside on a cold winters night. I was unhappy in the rain yet I was dressed in my REI rain resistant, fleece lined jacket made of the most light weight and breathable fabric available.  What exactly, was I unhappy about? The rain that slid off my body and off the rim of my waterproof hat? My feet were dry and warm in my waterproof walking shoes with the nice arch supports I simply can’t live without.

Then I started to think about giving birth without the luxury of an epidural or fetal monitors or even warm water and clean towels.  Without a medical team waiting near by just in case. 

What a humble beginning to a life, a life that would impact the world so greatly with the perfect gift of a blueprint for love. When I think about all that is written about Jesus, I am struck with the knowledge that love is the most important thing there is. Love is the power that propels us through from day to day. Without feeling love from another human being, we go looking for it in all the wrong places; drugs, alcohol, sex with others we don’t even know. And of course, it’s false and doesn’t fill the hole in our hearts.

Give love, smile at strangers, say hello, tell each other to have a Merry Christmas. Hug, Kiss, Pray. Thank God for His Son and the lesson of love He left behind. Leave judgement to Him and learn to be more accepting and less critical. Realize we are all precious in His eyes, regardless of anything. Mend fences and broken hearts. Say “I Love You!”

Merry Christmas!