Christmas captures in a short bluster season the best and too often the worst of life in America. Christmas reminds us in softer tones of the priceless value of “peace and goodwill toward men,” but it also reveals in harsh tones the greed and selfishness of the human heart as people are trampled under in the rush to get more and more stuff that will soon collect dust in our overcrowded garages.
Most of us have long Christmas lists of the naughty and nice like a junior Santa in training and we rush off to buy unique personal gifts for those who practically have everything, while rushing by and being served by those who have practically nothing. Humorist Garrison Keillor quipped:
“Once again we come to the Holiday season, a deeply religious time that each of us observes, in his own way, by going to the mall of his choice.”
I wonder if the Wise Men might have taken another approach of worship, or secretly slipped the gifts to Jesus if they could have seen where their simple act of worship would take a consumer and consumption driven world.
Chris Seay, pastor of Ecclesia church in Houston, along with three other pastors decided two years ago that something had to give in the way the followers of Jesus observed this wonderful time of the year. So they launched a movement they called “The Advent Conspiracy.” You can check out this website by going to the link www.adventconspiracy.org. One of their challenges to the followers of Jesus encapsulates in simple terms and images the spirit of Christ. Their challenge simple says “Give Presence.” Give yourself. Give your time. Give your love. Give your attention. Be aware. Be attentive. Be fully present with those you love.
In essence this depicts the heart of Christmas so well. Eugene Peterson translated the words of John written to describe the “presence” of Jesus on planet earth among His people like this:
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. John 1:14 (MSG)
I resonate with the line, “We saw the glory with our own eyes.” This Christmas our world needs to once again see His glory with their own eyes, so let’s be “the presence of Christ” within the four walls of our homes, in our busy offices and classrooms, on the streets and in the malls, in our houses of worship as the carols of Christmas ring out and especially to those who struggle to know the true meaning of Christmas. This Christmas—”give presence.”
1 Comment
December 11, 2008 at 3:08 am
And in giving presence, we will also receive blessing: looking at the eyes of our family, embracing them as they embrace us.