Getting The Juice Out of Christmas

The above photograph was from the porch of the condo that we rented and the path in the background is where I would ski through the forest to get down to the ski-lift at Seven Springs, Pa. and do some serious skiing.

While walking my daughter’s dog on the morning of December 2nd two ideas intersected in my thoughts to form this TfTD. The first was, “Would my wife and I put up a Christmas Tree?” The other idea was centered around all of the lights that I saw as I walked the dog in the neighborhood.

The neighbor’s had already put up their Christmas lights and I wondered if we would put up the Christmas tree, let alone put any lights on the outside of the house.  After all, our children are grown, and we are so blessed to see them become the fine adults that they have become.  I do not yet know where my wife and children have decided celebrate Christmas. I generally leave those decisions to them and they let me know what they have decided.

There was a time in my thinking when a tree was necessary for me to fully enjoy Christmas but not anymore.  Today, I get most of my energy from the meaning behind the decorations.

Things kept intersecting in my brain, so, again, I wondered about all the lights in the neighborhood.  It was only December the 2nd. Thanksgiving is barely out the door and already Santa Claus and his reindeer, plus and naitivity scenes are everywhere and if my neighbors are like other neighbors, then Church is not an essential activity for them but the lights are and that caused me to ask, “What are the essentials in the original Christmas story, and how do we get the juice out of the original story?” I    re-read the story and I found a few essentials of which I will only mention two.

One of the essentials in the original story was hope for a better world.  WOW!  There is a lot of juice in that story.

In Luke 2.38 Anna the prophetess began to speak to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.  Hmmm! Jerusalem.  They were not looking for conflict, but peace on earth and goodwill towards all men.   They looked, in hope, for a better city and a better world. Every Jew lived in hope of the coming Messiah who would make their world a better one. It is what I want and it is what we all want.  I know that God wants us to have a better world.    It is the reason why the angels sang to the shepherd that night because the object of their hope had arrived.  WOW! It was time to sing.

When we give our gifts, especially to our children, all of our hopes, our dreams and aspirations are centered in their well-being. We hope that our country treats them fairly, and we hope that they do not have to struggle the way we had to struggle. When we gather with loved ones on Christmas Day and we wish for them the best that God has to offer, the gifts are only tokens, tips of an iceberg of desires that we have for them.

It is essential in the original story, and it is essential in our story. Herod The Great was a threat to the hopes and aspirations of Jesus’ day. In our own day, when some catastrophe crushes us and grinds us into the dirt, hope finds a way to rise out of the ashes and keep us going.

Another essential for Christmas is goodwill towards all men; even tyrants.

It includes people of other faiths. I am not excluding anyone when I wish them a Merry Christmas.  I do not fall into the trap, like most people, even most christians who greet people with, “Happy Holidays”.  I prefer to keep Christ in my mouth because He is deep inside my heart, so wish them A Merry Christmas.  When my boss, who is a devout muslim whom I loved and respected, wished us a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, then I knew that I could do no less.  I sincerely hope that they are merry during this season.  The angels sang, “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth, peace and “goodwill” towards “all” men.” The Bible also says that God loved the “world” so much that He gave His only begotten Son that “whosoever” believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. His goodwill reached out to everyone, red, yellow, black white, muslims, hindus, sinners, saved, gays or straight.  Should we do any less?  I think not.

It is because God loved the world that I advise people to rise above the hatred that often comes from their favorite politician, talk show host, or their pastors and spread some goodwill towards everybody.

If we really want to get the juice out of Christmas, just indiscriminately spread some goodwill.