By Buddy Champion
Bah Humbug! We have all this commercialization and busy activities. They have been trying to sell Christmas stuff in the stores since August. Who came up with all these parties and obligations that have to take place before the day of celebration? We travel long distances to see people that we haven’t seen since last year and spend money to give them gifts that they don’t want or need. What are we going to do with the fruit cake that we get each year? Certainly we will not eat it! Bah Humbug on this Christmas stuff!
It was around the Christmas time of year that I had a doctor’s appointment. I was making small talk with the physician just to see how his world was going. Finally I went for the big ask: “So how are your Christmas plans going?” His response? You guessed it…Bah Humbug! He proceeded to tell me how he would be glad when it was all over and he had been dreading the celebration since last Christmas. I knew this doctor was a Christ follower so I was a little taken back by his negativity toward the birth of Jesus.
Eventually he got off his soapbox and asked me what my thoughts were. I typically try not to give my opinion unless I am asked, but now the door was open. We discussed for a few minutes the passage in Isaiah 9. Do you remember it? “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.” Isaiah 9:2 (NIV) That is a pretty cool verse! The world was walking in darkness and a great light appeared…Christmas!
I can choose to get caught up in the “Christmas stuff” or I can walk through this beautiful time of year focused on the fact that the ”people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” Not only that, I was walking in darkness and Christ came to me and gave me life! I celebrate that!
Ebenezer Scrooge decided he would honor Christmas in his heart and try to keep it all the year. Perhaps we need to learn from Mr. Scrooge and focus on the Christ of this celebration because we were walking in darkness and have seen a great light! Invite the Christ of Christmas to shine His light in your heart today!
One Comment
Gwendolyn Wardlow
2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light.+ 15 It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.+