Christmas:
Form or Substance?
Like the rest of you, I have shopping to do at this time of year. But I don’t just shop, I look and watch the people around me. And I have to say, the things I see really give me pause to wonder just exactly what we are doing.
We are bombarded with advertising that, in my area, begins as early as July. We are given hints for the perfect Christmas with foods, decorations, songs and gifts. People are haggard, frazzled and just plain worn-out as they search for just the right gifts, music and recipes in an attempt to have the “best Christmas ever”.
Again I have to ask, what are we doing? This is supposed to be a time of joy and happiness, peace and good will. I remember one movie stating it is the one time of year where people are a little nicer to each other. But are we really??
Seems to me that people become more surly. They shove their way through parking lots to get the best or closest spot to the mall, at counters to get the best bargain and in lines to beat it out of the store before the next guy just so they can do it all over again at the next store.
Now I know this sounds a bit cynical and I don’t mean to imply that everyone is like this. But the stress of the season seems to make manners and politeness fly out the window, being replaced with a certain amount of narcissism. We end up with tunnel vision, only concerned with our own wants at the moment, blinded by lights, sights and sounds to our fellow man.
Don’t misunderstand me, I do like the decorations, music and foods of the season. But I have to wonder where the substance of Christmas has gone to. You see the things I have been speaking of to this point are the forms that Christmas has taken on over the last century. But where is the substance?
Substance is what comes from the heart. It is how we treat people. How we see people. How we love people. Do we see people as an irritant or an obstacle to be overcome as we enter the store or an opportunity to spread Jesus’ love during the yearly observance of His birth??
Mat 22:37-40 “Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Jesus’ words here, not mine. Let me repeat the second commandment: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Is this not the way we wish to be treated? Is it not the way we should treat others? And now the big question, do we?!
There is nothing wrong with the forms of Christmas. They are simply cultural expressions and traditions that have been taken on over the years. But when those forms overshadow the substance that should be Christmas, our Christianity is also overshadowed. And when this happens, it is all too easy for our substance as Christians to stay overshadowed throughout the rest of the year.
So I guess the question becomes, “What do we want the world to see, the form or the substance of Christmas?” And which is more important for us to see?
Obviously the substance. We talk about the true meaning of Christmas, but it tends to get lost in all the rushing around we do in search of something that seems so elusive - the perfect Christmas. But I would submit we are looking in the wrong direction for such things because we always see them in terms of forms. The perfect music, the perfect dinner, the perfect decorations, the perfect gift.
You know the story, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”* comes to mind here. Remember when the Whos woke up and found empty rooms greeting the on Christmas morning? How did they respond? Anger? Weeping? Gnashing of teeth? No, they responded with praise and worship in their hearts because they knew there was something greater than the trappings we are enmeshed in. I have to wonder how we or even I would respond in the same circumstance. How well would any of us do in their place?
Ted Geisel, the author of the story, conveyed the truth brilliantly. Christmas is not about the presents, feasts and noise of the season. It is about the Lord, Christ Jesus. He is where we find the peace, the joy and happiness, the very core of Christmas that we look for year after year.
Mat 2:10-12 “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
Remember the Magi, the Three Kings or Wiseman that came to celebrate Jesus’ birth and worship Him?? Read Mat 2:10-12 carefully. The Magi were overjoyed after a trip of weeks or months. I imagine they must have been tired and filthy from such a trip. But they weren’t overwhelmed with trying to create the perfect Christmas, it was done for them by God Himself. Then they exchanged gifts, right? No, they presented gifts to Jesus. And when they had finished their celebration and worship of the Lord, they went home.
Many of us have a Nativity scene as part of our decorations, but few of us spend time really thinking about it. You see, the perfect Christmas is not something that we create or buy from the store. It comes from the heart. It is in how we celebrate Jesus’ birth, in how we worship Him and in how we love others that we find the peace we so crave at this time of year.
So when you are making out that list of things to do, put Jesus at the top. Make Him the focus of your celebration throughout the month and the entire year. If you do, I think you will find that perfect Christmas that has been so elusive for so long. And may you experience true joy and substance of the day as I wish you:
Merry Christmas
and
a Blessed New Year!
Luke 2:7-14 (KJV) “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 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.”
In His name…
Form or Substance?
Like the rest of you, I have shopping to do at this time of year. But I don’t just shop, I look and watch the people around me. And I have to say, the things I see really give me pause to wonder just exactly what we are doing.
We are bombarded with advertising that, in my area, begins as early as July. We are given hints for the perfect Christmas with foods, decorations, songs and gifts. People are haggard, frazzled and just plain worn-out as they search for just the right gifts, music and recipes in an attempt to have the “best Christmas ever”.
Again I have to ask, what are we doing? This is supposed to be a time of joy and happiness, peace and good will. I remember one movie stating it is the one time of year where people are a little nicer to each other. But are we really??
Seems to me that people become more surly. They shove their way through parking lots to get the best or closest spot to the mall, at counters to get the best bargain and in lines to beat it out of the store before the next guy just so they can do it all over again at the next store.
Now I know this sounds a bit cynical and I don’t mean to imply that everyone is like this. But the stress of the season seems to make manners and politeness fly out the window, being replaced with a certain amount of narcissism. We end up with tunnel vision, only concerned with our own wants at the moment, blinded by lights, sights and sounds to our fellow man.
Don’t misunderstand me, I do like the decorations, music and foods of the season. But I have to wonder where the substance of Christmas has gone to. You see the things I have been speaking of to this point are the forms that Christmas has taken on over the last century. But where is the substance?
Substance is what comes from the heart. It is how we treat people. How we see people. How we love people. Do we see people as an irritant or an obstacle to be overcome as we enter the store or an opportunity to spread Jesus’ love during the yearly observance of His birth??
Mat 22:37-40 “Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
Jesus’ words here, not mine. Let me repeat the second commandment: Love your neighbor as you love yourself. Is this not the way we wish to be treated? Is it not the way we should treat others? And now the big question, do we?!
There is nothing wrong with the forms of Christmas. They are simply cultural expressions and traditions that have been taken on over the years. But when those forms overshadow the substance that should be Christmas, our Christianity is also overshadowed. And when this happens, it is all too easy for our substance as Christians to stay overshadowed throughout the rest of the year.
So I guess the question becomes, “What do we want the world to see, the form or the substance of Christmas?” And which is more important for us to see?
Obviously the substance. We talk about the true meaning of Christmas, but it tends to get lost in all the rushing around we do in search of something that seems so elusive - the perfect Christmas. But I would submit we are looking in the wrong direction for such things because we always see them in terms of forms. The perfect music, the perfect dinner, the perfect decorations, the perfect gift.
You know the story, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”* comes to mind here. Remember when the Whos woke up and found empty rooms greeting the on Christmas morning? How did they respond? Anger? Weeping? Gnashing of teeth? No, they responded with praise and worship in their hearts because they knew there was something greater than the trappings we are enmeshed in. I have to wonder how we or even I would respond in the same circumstance. How well would any of us do in their place?
Ted Geisel, the author of the story, conveyed the truth brilliantly. Christmas is not about the presents, feasts and noise of the season. It is about the Lord, Christ Jesus. He is where we find the peace, the joy and happiness, the very core of Christmas that we look for year after year.
Mat 2:10-12 “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.”
Remember the Magi, the Three Kings or Wiseman that came to celebrate Jesus’ birth and worship Him?? Read Mat 2:10-12 carefully. The Magi were overjoyed after a trip of weeks or months. I imagine they must have been tired and filthy from such a trip. But they weren’t overwhelmed with trying to create the perfect Christmas, it was done for them by God Himself. Then they exchanged gifts, right? No, they presented gifts to Jesus. And when they had finished their celebration and worship of the Lord, they went home.
Many of us have a Nativity scene as part of our decorations, but few of us spend time really thinking about it. You see, the perfect Christmas is not something that we create or buy from the store. It comes from the heart. It is in how we celebrate Jesus’ birth, in how we worship Him and in how we love others that we find the peace we so crave at this time of year.
So when you are making out that list of things to do, put Jesus at the top. Make Him the focus of your celebration throughout the month and the entire year. If you do, I think you will find that perfect Christmas that has been so elusive for so long. And may you experience true joy and substance of the day as I wish you:
Merry Christmas
and
a Blessed New Year!
Luke 2:7-14 (KJV) “And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 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.”
In His name…
* Dr. Seuss (Theodor Seuss Geisel). How the Grinch Stole Christmas! New York: Random House, 1957, ISBN 0-394-80079-6
© 2007 Church of Hope, Inc.