When It Comes To Christmas

When it comes to Christmas, I feel like the man who was once asked to name the 10 most important people in the history of the world, as he reckoned them. His list was impressive. When he finished, he was asked why he had not named Jesus Christ. “Oh,” he said, “because he doesn’t belong on that list. You see, Jesus Christ is incomparable.” He was right, of course.

That’s how it is with the celebration of the nativity. It is the singular event on the calendar of Christians the world over that has no equal. Christmas is everything.

I am aware that people groan about the claptrap of commercialization, exploitation, and degradation associated with the secularization of the season. But that’s of little concern to me. For those who are proper believers, Christmas is the premier season of the year that can be said to have a heart. Name all of the other holidays you’ll find something unique about each, but Christmas is special. It is a day when no one is left behind. It is the true Jesus day for one and all.

Children anticipate it throughout the year and for more reasons than just a pile of wrapping paper and toys that will too soon be cast aside. The baby Jesus in the manger, the songs, the stories, and the celebration mark the soul in a wonderful way. And if you take the time to think about, there’s something quite miraculous in how young children are drawn to Jesus with an instinctive kind of love. That is as true today as it was when He took them in His arms and blessed them, as only deity could.

But what about the rest of us?

Well, it’s our day, too, and I’ll tell you why. We are living in a frightful time in the history of our planet. There are wars, natural disasters, a culture gone mad, and a clash of civilizations the likes of which we have never seen before. Sit down with any parent or grandparent and ask them what they think their offspring will experience, as opposed to what we have known of life. Most likely you’ll see a look of concern and uncertainty on their faces. And there is reason for concern and uncertainty. We live in a world where boundaries have been broken, morals corrupted, and millions of people exist without any spiritual guidelines. It’s not a pretty picture, but it’s an accurate one.

But, be that as it may, it isn’t all there is. And that’s because of Christmas. Not just a cheery few days to break the icicles off a dreary month or dampened spirits. It’s the reality of what took place in a stable two thousand years ago. The world talks and sings of a love it actually knows nothing about. God delivered love in Bethlehem that day. There is endless talk of peace in a world that is incapable of achieving it. Peace, true peace, arrived by special delivery among wondering shepherds and caroling angels. We hear words spoken about the goodness and fraternity of humankind that are more shallow speech than reality. God’s goodwill was nestled in the arms of a young Jewish mother in that little town of Bethlehem that we sing about.

The peace, joy, and goodwill He brought to all who would receive Him are ours to have. And with them, everything else good, bad, or indifferent becomes less relevant. Therefore, Christmas separates itself from every other season of the year. Why? Because the Incarnation is indispensable. Without His coming, we are irreparably lost, but because He came we can be found.

Merry Christmas!