What Will Your Christmas Point To?

Photo by Olena Sergienko on Unsplash

I heard someone say once that, if aliens from another world observed life on earth and saw us walking around behind our dogs outside, picking up after them with little plastic bags, the aliens would naturally assume that on Earth dogs are the masters and human beings are their slaves.

Well, what if a flying saucer came and observed our Christmas celebrations? What would they see? What would they think?

Christians believe that actions are revealing. Jesus compares people to trees and says that “each tree is known by its own fruit… The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil.” (Luke 6:44 and 45) James, arguing that you cannot separate someone’s beliefs from their deeds, says, “Show me your faith apart from works, and I by my works will show you faith.” (2:18) Our actions reveal what’s in our hearts: the beliefs that we value, the convictions that we’ll actually implement in our lives.

What will your actions reveal about your priorities and beliefs this Christmas?

How much of your holiday spending and busyness will point unambiguously to Jesus? And how much of it will point unambiguously to our society’s addictions to consumerism and eating, drinking, and being merry?

I don’t think there’s a thing in the world wrong with buying Christmas gifts for the people you love—and for people you don’t even know, through programs like Operation Christmas Child or Toys for Tots. That’s great! Do that. Enjoy yourself. Make someone’s heart glad. And I don’t think there’s a thing in the world wrong with celebrating the holidays with eating, being merry, and even (gasp!) responsible drinking. The birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem for us and our salvation is worth celebrating in a big way.

But is that what you’re celebrating? Or is Christmas just a good time with family and friends?

I don’t want to shame anybody. I want to challenge everybody. Because we’re just getting into this season, and you have plenty of time to make sure this Christmas is about Jesus! So, what are you going to do to put Jesus at the center of your Christmas? Church folk talk a lot about 'keeping Christ in Christmas'. Usually, I think, that means we want stores and statehouses to make Jesus visible in their holiday practices. But what are you doing to make Jesus visible in yours?

What gift are you getting him for his birthday?

What will you be doing on Christmas day—a Sunday!—when church doors will be open for the faithful to “come let us adore him”?

What are you teaching your children and grandchildren that this season means, through your words and your example?

Christmas time is just getting started, so I want to challenge you, before the hectic holiday schedule takes over: decide now how you want to celebrate Jesus this year. Decide now what you want your Christmas spending and busyness to reveal.