What’s all this I Hear About Christmas?

Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.
-Luke 1:68

It seems as though every year there are more and more distractions from the real reason that we celebrate Christmas. People can get so involved in the observances of the season that they neglect the true reason we observe the season in the first place. So, I pose the question today, what’s all this I hear about Christmas? Let me provide some observations about that:

• I hear that Christmas is supposed to honored, observed, and revered by everyone. If we are waiting for that we are in for a long wait. The true observance of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ is for believers. Why would we expect unbelievers to treat Christmas different from any other holiday? They probably will not. I am not in the least surprised by stores and businesses that do not allow their employees to wish their customers a Merry Christmas. When they do that they are behaving exactly as we can expect; like unbelievers. Rather than write letters, send emails, and picket the stores I have a better idea; go inside the store, browse around a while, and wish as many employees as possible a Merry Christmas. But be sure to do this in a way that is gentle, humble, and Christ-like.

• I hear that Christmas should be observed in such a way that non-Christians aren’t offended. My response to that is to ask, when has the faith of Christians not been offensive to some people in the world? The answer is that there has never been such a time. Jesus said that sometimes we would be hated by the world and we would be offensive to those who do not believe. The very practice of our faith on a day-to- day basis is going to be offensive to unbelievers. How much more around this time of year?

• I hear that Christmas and everything with it should be reduced to the word “holiday.” You know what I mean; holiday lights, holiday tree, holiday food, and so on. No, this is Christmas. That’s a Christmas tree, Christmas lights, and Christmas cards we have around the house during this season. Shall we tell the Jewish people to not say Happy Hanukkah, but instead happy holidays? No, that would be completely unreasonable. They, like us, we call it what it is.

For the remainder of the Christmas season, let us be sure to focus upon the One for whom the season is all about in the first place. Christ has come, redemption, grace, mercy, and hope to all who will believe. Peace on earth and joy to the world. Merry Christmas!