The crowd of shoppers was overwhelming. Sitting in a mall bar, I looked out at all the people rushing from store to store, hands loaded with bags overflowing. I was thinking I probably needed to get out among them when I heard a voice say, “At least we are safe in here, a girl could get trampled out there!” I turned in my stool to see a pretty woman smiling at me. She must have sat down while I was daydreaming.
I smiled back and nodded but did not say anything in response. I was hoping she would take this as a sign that I was not interested in banter, but no such luck. “I hate this time of the year,” she said leaning closer to me. “it is a pain to have to fight these crowds, just to buy some lousy gifts most people will never use or end up re-gifting.” Again I smiled and nodded, now trying to figure a way to make an exist. She pulled out a cigarette and asked for a light, which I did. Determinedly she continued, “You don’t say much do you? I guess I understand. You wonder what is this woman doing. What does she want. Answer is simple. Just a break from the madness and a few good stiff drinks!”
At that I figured I might as well finish my drink and be polite, so I said, “I get that, is the reason I am in here too.” She smiled broader at that and said, “He does speak! Good! So why are you out battling the crowds? Buying a gift for the wife?” I nodded yes and said, “I hate mall and all the people, but this is the only place I can get the thing she wants. What about you?” “No to the husband. I am here buying gifts for my niece and nephew. Toys, you know, the Christmas plague.” Then she said something I was not expecting, “I love Christmas, but I hate what it does to all of us. I am sure Christ himself feels the same way. I find myself drinking more and crying sometimes for no reason. I wish l could go back to that simple time when I believed that Christmas was about something more than this, ya know?” She said waving her hand abstractly out at the passing crowds.
I was silent again, but as I looked at her, she began to cry. “Ahh no!” I thought. “I don’t need this.” But she must have noticed my concerned look and waved it away, “Don’t worry I ain’t going to blubber all over you. I just miss that I can no longer have Christ in my Christmas.” I nodded sympathetically but in my mind, I wanted to run.
Christ in Christmas. I see signs posted in people’s yards, “Put Christ back in Christmas!” My thought is did He ever leave it? Or have we become so lost in decking the halls that we left Him? I don’t want to get into the discussion of Christmas not being the actual time of the Savior’s birth. Most of us know that is true. But nevertheless, the facts of His birth are real and true, and it is a reason to celebrate even if we have the day wrong. So why is it so hard to keep Jesus in His own celebration? It comes down to where our hearts and minds are the rest of the year.
You can’t dust off your manger scene and expect it will draw you closer to Christ if you have neglected Him for the last 11 months. I mean, how many of us spend a month celebrating someone’s birthday if we really don’t know the person? If Christmas is going to have a deeper meaning, we need to know the man who’s birth we celebrate. And that is the gift He would love to give to us.
But if you want to begin to know Him today, how can it happen with all the clutter and noise of commercial Christmas? Well maybe you can start by absorbing these verses from the gospel of Luke, “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:8-11) I know even if you are not a follower of Jesus you have heard these words before. But read them again.
Then put yourself in that field. God’s messenger was so excited because he knew the miracle that had just taken place, Immanuel, God with us, had just been born. He had to share it! Finally, the plan, in place from the foundation of the world was happening. The joy of all heaven could not be contained, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” (Luke 2:13-14) What would have it been like to be among those shepherds? It had to be pure awe and joy! And that is the joy I want in my heart this Christmas because that is the joy that can last the whole year.
It is a reality that we cannot get away from the gift mania of modern Christmas, Amazon has made sure of that. But while you are shopping for the latest gizmo, take time to read God’s word. Absorb the gift God, in Jesus, has given to all of us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Make a start right now to celebrating Jesus throughout the year! His gift to you is everlasting!
I left that woman crying in her martini, literally. I got out the door as soon as I could and never looked back. Today, I understand the pain she was feeling but know that sorrow can be washed away in a moment. Christ is still and always has been in Christmas. Maybe it was not December 25th, but I celebrate it with all my heart because, “For on to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6) He is my Christmas! May He be yours!
Blessings John,
12/11/17