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 So, what might I have done to warrant this
moniker, you ask?
Nothing.
But what I’m thinking is about to get me in trouble, because I’m
thinking some unorthodox thoughts about the words we normally
associate with the most wonderful time of the year.
Have you noticed that just like we unpack decorations and other
holiday memorabilia, we also unpack our Christmas vocabulary?
Adjectives like “merry,” “magical,” and “holly-jolly” start to roll
from our tongues in casual conversation. Nouns like “peace,” “good
will,” “angels,” “Santa Claus,” and “mistletoe” get dusted off to
adorn our speech. And the verbs, don’t forget the verbs: “rejoice,”
“celebrate,” “give” and its counterpart “receive” grace our cheerful
greetings.
Why, just this small sampling is enough to kindle the warm fuzzy
feelings that brighten the long, dark days of Advent. I love these
Christmas words! But these aren’t the first words I thought of when
I started thinking about Christmas this year.
Strangely, my thoughts were drawn to the ‘in’s. By ‘in’s I’m not
referring to an agency of the federal government, nor am I
misspelling the establishment that became notorious for not making
room for Jesus’ birth. It just seemed that the Christmas words that
kept coming to mind started with the letters ‘in.’
For instance, instead of the word joyful, it occurred to me that
Christmas is invasive. Ask Mary. Despite her humble acceptance of
God’s plan involving her virgin womb, you’ve got to admit that
Mary’s life was set on a whole new trajectory she likely couldn’t
have envisioned.
Other people may have started the season whistling, “There’s no
place like home for the holidays…” but I was contemplating how
intrusive Christmas really is. It rolls around and interferes with
the routines of life. I bet Joseph knew that firsthand. Sure, he
must have been a great guy, but strap on his sandals for a minute
and imagine finding out your fiancé is pregnant and you know you’re
not responsible. Then imagine getting a message from God that He’s
the Father. And, about the time you start accepting the fact that
you’ll never quite have the marriage and home life you’d been
dreaming about, you find out you all – you, your bride, and your
soon-to-be-born step-Son – are going to have to trek all the way
from Nazareth to Bethlehem because some politician decided you
needed to go home to be counted for a census.
Oh yeah, and the census meant that taxes would be
going up. Again. Christmas was just one big inconvenience after
another, wasn’t it?
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Now do you understand why I could be called names and
excluded from participation in the reindeer games? Nobody wants to
think of Christmas this way. Nobody wants to be told that Christmas
is an invasion. No one wants to associate Christmas with words like
intrusion, interference, and inconvenience.
So, to avoid the less pleasant sentiments, many have chosen to push
the real story, the birth of the Savior of the world, aside. They’ve
substituted dazzling lights, festive songs, and feel-good movies for
the true story that has changed everything:
The infinite God sent his incomparable Son.
Born via a virgin He became incarnate.
Born into a world of insolent people who would reject Him, cause Him
to suffer ineffable indignity, and ruthlessly murder Him.
But incredibly, God intervened and raised Him from death.
He has shown us His love, invited us into an intimate relationship
with Him, and given us a chance to receive an eternal inheritance.
Jesus went out of heaven so we could come in.
And what does He want from us? Just to ask Him into our lives.
I can only one think of one word to sum it all up:
Inconceivable!
Praying you make room for the ‘in’s this Christmas!
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