Last December, I posted an old letter of mine on the local liberal blog. It was to the editor of a newspaper in Monterey, California. Some of the examples are a little dated (it was published in 1990 – some 16 years ago), but if you’ve got the time, here’s a link to it (If you don’t have the time, just continue on):
http://www.haloscan.com/comments/panhandletruthsquad/113416374198343405/#225968
Lately, I’ve been reflecting a little more on why some people would rather avoid thinking about whose birth we’re celebrating. While it’s true that Jesus had to be born of a woman, His ultimate mission was to die for your sins and for mine.
The words of the song “Start at the Manger” from the musical “The Christmas Post” sum it up well:
Start at the manger on a cold winter night.
Look for the star in the sky, then follow its light.
It leads to a Savior for a world that is lost.
Start at the manger, then go to the cross.
The whole idea of ones own personal sinfulness makes people uncomfortable, especially at Christmas time, so we dwell on the peripherals: Santa Claus, Ebenezer Scrooge, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman. We concentrate on the warm fuzzies and traditions of the season and try to sublimate our own feelings of worthlessness. Yet it seems that more people suffer from depression at Christmas than any other time of the year.
Oswald Chambers tackled the issue striaght on:
“Very few of us have any understanding of the reason why Jesus Christ died. If sympathy is all that human beings need, then the Cross of Christ is a farce, there was no need for it. What the world needs is not ‘a little bit of love,’ but a surgical operation.”
I’ll close with the opening words of a seldom sung verse to the Christmas carol, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”:
Oh Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us we pray.
Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today.
I’d like to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas – no, better make that a Holy, Blessed Christmas.
I enjoyed your post, all so true. I regret reading your old post though as I had almost forgotten how stupid and hatefull Space dark is of what he claims to be. How nice the world would be with out people like that.
My daughter reminded me last night that I shouldn’t have put Jesus in my manger scene yet. As at this time of the month I’m usually deeply pondering what to get for the people in my life, and how to pay for it all afterward, her simple statement made me think anew what Christmas is all about.
Anyway Merry Christmas to you and yours and Bo and all other’s who read here.
Thanks for the kind words, celtic. I had second thoughts about posting what might be perceived as being preachy, but when you look at the “Incoming Search Terms This Week” in the left hand column, and you realize that these searches represent people from all over the world, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Even if one of those people were to read my post, it would be worth it.
As far as our old friend Spacedark is concerned, I hold out more hope for those who are searching for innocentangels.com and childporn embracing my message than for him. I once heard a professor from Fuller Theological Seminary preach about getting “vaccinated” with Christianity – taking in just enough of it to avoid catching the real thing. I know from whence he speaks, because I used to be one of those people myself. But then I came face to face with the reality that I need a Savior every bit as much as people like the pedophiles who stop by this blog looking for kiddie porn.
Jesus spent a lot of time with prostitutes, tax collectors, and smelly fishermen. I think this was due at least in part to their willingness to acknowledge their own imperfections and shortcomings. Until a person comes to terms with that area of life, the message of Jesus makes no sense. It isn’t easy in this day and age of “I’m OK, You’re OK” and bowing down at the altar of Self Esteem. I alluded to this back in 1990; the “Shirley” I referred to was Shirley MacLaine, who had the audacity to twist the scriptures from “Be still and know that I am God” to “Be still and know that you are God.”
I’ve already gone on more than I had intended, so I’ll close for now. If I don’t post again between now and the 25th, have a very merry and blessed Christmas.
… so we dwell on the peripherals: Santa Claus, Ebenezer Scrooge, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman.
http://panhandletruthsquad.blogspot.com/2006/12/christmas-story-in-spirit-of-christmas.html