We
are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us~ 2nd Corinthians 5:20a
This last weekend boredom, a rare kid-free afternoon, a
beautiful sunny day, and a case of cabin fever conspired to make me break a
self-imposed rule that has served me well for years. I left my house (a.k.a. fortress
of sanity) and headed out to the local mall on black Friday.
Because I wasn’t
really there to shop, I was free to engage in some intense people watching.
The mob seemed divided into two distinct groups: those who
were stimulated and exhilarated by the crowds, and those who were not. The
first faction wore big smiles, had an abundance of energy and was clearly in
excellent spirits. However, the vast majority looked weary, frantic and painfully
over-stimulated.
One woman who was clearly a part of the second group caught
my attention. Initially it was her festive Christmas sweater, cute boots and
jingle bell necklace that I noticed. Ultimately, it was the bitter rant she
directed at a harassed-looking salesgirl that seized my attention. The woman
went from weary to enraged when the salesgirl politely declined to honor a
coupon that had expired.
I will not bore you
with all the details of the long drawn-out moral debate I had with myself as I struggled
to decide whether or not to use this woman as an example in a blog post. After
all, I do not know her, nor do I know how she typically conducts herself.
For all know she is a
really pleasant person who just happened to be having a really bad day. It is
also conceivable that she was dealing with some challenging personal issues that
contributed to her response to the situation. Heaven knows there have been some
singular moments of bad behavior in my own life that I do not wish to have judged
by anyone.
All that said, my decision to share this story had more to do
with something she said rather than with what she did. Six words uttered by a
cranky stranger, on the foulest shopping day of the year got me thinking about how
I view the celebration of an entire season …
“I’m just trying to
celebrate Christmas!”
You need to understand up-front that nobody on earth loves
Christmas more than I do. My husband and kids are convinced that I should be
named the official poster child for Christmas celebrations. I love the lights
and decorations (the tackier, the better), the music (the louder, the better),
the food (the richer, the better), the movies (the cornier, the better), the
traditions, the parties (the more the better) but most of all I love the giving
and yes, the receiving of presents.
But even I have to admit that the humble Christ-child and His
much-needed message of peace and reconciliation can and often do get lost in
the midst of all the frantic celebration and merriment.
I am not, nor would I ever be rash enough to call for an end
to the celebration of Christmas. It’s just too much fun. And I believe with all
my being that the God we serve is a lover of fun, celebration and merriment. Old
Testament law called for and even commanded the joyful celebration of frequent
Holy days.
However, the irritable woman in the mall got me thinking.
Maybe Christmas is a thing I should endeavor to embody rather than something I celebrate
and enjoy for one month out of the year.
So this year as I celebrate
the holiday and relish the fun and feasting that has become a part of the
commemoration of our Savior’s birth, I will not strive to do more this year.
Like most Christians in our culture I already do way too much at Christmas time.
Rather, my goal this
Christmas is to be more. With the help of God’s empowering grace I
will endeavor to be the promise of hope that Jesus offers. In the midst of the
madness and craziness of the Christmas Season I will take some time out of my
busy schedule to be the peace that Jesus that came to give mankind.
Most importantly, as I interact with my weary neighbors and
the harried salesclerks and the cranky shoppers I will make a concerted effort
to embody the love and grace that Jesus came to show humanity.
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his
shoulder: and his name shall be
called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince
of Peace~ Isaiah 9:6
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