With my work and school situation being what it is right now, I haven’t been able to be with family on holidays. Thankfully I don’t have to work this Christmas and my parents, sisters and grandmother came to me. However, before I begin explaining why I’m enjoying this Christmas, I must clarify that it is with the one major exception that I will not be able to spend time with all my family.
That being said, Christmas isn’t exactly about me being with my family. It’s about Christ. While family and Christ are not destined to be mutually exclusive, they can be. The nominal Christian who loves Christmas and being with family, but doesn’t really follow Christ isn’t really celebrating Christmas. I’m dealing with a loaded issue, one that I don’t care to unpack at the moment. I just felt the need to reflect on the fact that for the first time since I began to be sick with materialistic Christianity bowing down to its Christmas tree idol, offering its sacrifices in carefully wrapped packages, I have managed to avoid it as much as possible. I’m not implying that everybody having a traditional Christmas is worshiping an idol, only that its possible and pervasive. If that offends anyone, just ask yourself honestly if that’s what you do. If not, good for you.
One thing I have particularly enjoyed this holiday season is receiving donations at the City Mission from families who decided to give to the poor instead of “doing Christmas” this year. With all the economic panic, these people have given substantial gifts that will meet the basic needs of those who otherwise wouldn’t have it. Seeing that everyday has been more Christ for me than all the Christmases in my life combined. Just so you don’t get the wrong picture in your head, one of me glibly skipping around a homeless shelter glowing and chipper playing Santa to all the local disenfranchised, I actually struggle through the days. Donations are great, but it creates more work in my job. I have joked with a board member and some volunteers at the Mission by saying that one bad thing about this job is that sometimes it makes you wish people would take a break from their benevolence. I of course don’t mean that, but it is hard to keep up with massive donations in a limited space. The payoff for me is late at night, like now, when reflecting on this “problem” I have at work, I’m like “wow, what a great problem to have.” This is a major contributor to why this is one of my favorite Christmases in a long time.
I suppose I just feel like whatever I think Christmas is supposed to be, it melded into the rest of normal life quite easily this year. It fit more readily into my day to day. There wasn’t the same fuss over things that don’t matter like the holidays usually cause. I’m thankful to God for disciplining me and those around me to be more sensitive to the things He is sensitive to, for giving us His word and a hunger for it.
I don’t wish anyone a Merry Christmas, only the type of Christmas that will point you to Christ and help you be obedient to Him. That may mean having a terrible Christmas by the worlds standards.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. [Revelation 3:19]
