It’s that time of year again. Customers pepper-spraying other customers to get the best gifts. Complaints about when stores put out their Christmas decorations. I even heard one person in the pew behind me complain that she hates Christmas music when the music director had the choir sing Joy to the World. Joy to the world indeed.
I wonder how we at Christians share the joy that Christ brought to the world. Do we let our light shine in the darkness by being rude to every overworked store clerk who wishes us Happy Holidays? It seems to me that our light would shine brighter if we smiled and wished him or her a Merry Christmas. Many store clerk are ordered to wish Happy Holidays unless the customer says Merry Christmas first. By wishing a Merry Christmas, we give the store clerk the freedom to wish us one too.
Another way to give people a bad feeling about Christmas is to complain, protest, and picket every public Christmas display that doesn’t have a nativity scene. But are we really sharing peace on Earth that Christ gave when we protest and shout angry words in front of the City Hall? Is that how we want Christians to be known, by their protests? A better way would be to place a nativity scene in our own yards and invite the neighbors to have Christmas cookies and hot chocolate. If you have a hill, you could even invite the neighbor kids to a sled riding party. Wouldn’t this be a better way to show peace of Earth?
There’s a line in Joy to the World that says “Let every heart prepare Him room.” This is the way to celebrate Christmas in a way that honors Christ. Let’s share the light of Christ this year to a dark world by showing His love to others.
Isaiah 9:6 NKJV The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
Leave a Reply