Christ is the reason for a Christmas celebration
I know a lot of you are getting ready for Christmas right now, but it always seems to me that a lot of folks just seem to have forgotten the reason for the season.
There are a lot of kids out there in need of your help, but to think of them only around the Christmas season seems a little out of touch, to me. I mean, we ought to be thinking of the kids in need all year round, right? Don’t get me wrong, I think doing something for children in need is a worthy cause, no matter the season or time of year. And I’m not going to lecture you about how much of your income or time or effort should be devoted to the cause of children in need. But… Christmas in my humble opinion is not just about giving to needy children.
Then there are the poor. “We shall always have the poor.” said Christ, meaning there are other causes just as noble but that poverty will always be among us and no matter how hard we may try, we can never really erase it. That is not to say that doing things for the poor is unworthy of our time. Personally, I believe just as the Bible teaches, that it is good to help the poor, the widows and the infirm, but we can best help by providing a means for them to feel as though they did not have to beg, nor receive in such a way to degrade their sense of worth. Giving without thanks or gratitude for the work that went into the effort to afford the giving only degrades. Instead, I believe by providing a means to help themselves is far better. Providing a means to earn that which has been given is far better than to receive and then expect more. But, Christmas is not about giving to the poor, nor about helping the poor. While it is a good thing to help others help themselves, as Christ said we shall always have the poor, which ought to be a year round effort and not solely a Christmas time consideration.
Then there is the joy surrounding Christmas with gift giving. And while it is such a great feeling to give gifts and to receive them, this is not about Christmas, either. Giving is a good thing, and everyone loves surprises. There is almost no greater joy than to see and hear children opening their gifts and running about the house with the aroma of turkey baking in the oven and all the fixings, pies, hot apple cider and cinnamon rolls. All these things are wonderful in themselves, and doing them during the Christmas season seems to make it so very special, but it is not what Christmas is all about, and even while I sit back and enjoy the moment, I know this in my heart that we are overlooking the true cause for such happiness.
There are the usual customs that come with Christmas, especially selecting a tree and decorating it in our home. Bringing loved ones together and stringing the lights and seeing the tree lit upon completion is a sight beyond compare, but it too is not the reason for Christmas. I put up a tree every year, so don’t think I’m spilling sour grapes on your shoulder. My Christmas tree is rooted in our own family traditions, with certain ornaments hung in special memory of loved ones or just because it was handed down from one generation to the next. There is a certain bonding at Christmas time that reminds us of our loved ones and family, and while it is good to repeat these things every year and feel so warm and loved, to me, it is not what Christmas is all about, nor the reason for the celebration.
There is all the jolly-making. Pushing the kids down the hill on the sled, snowball fights, building snowmen, the familiar Christmas tunes, pinching pennies to save enough for that gift, doing good deeds for the neighbors, wrapping presents and singing Christmas carols. These little things are a lot of fun for me, and it gives me a good feeling inside, but I’m just a little troubled that too many people think that these little things are what Christmas is all about, and it is not. I know it is not, and I remind myself of it whenever I involve myself in them.
For me, Christmas goes beyond all these things I have just mentioned, though they certainly lend honor to the occasion. And like I said, while all these things may be good things to do, I feel that so many people have forgotten the true meaning of Christmas and what it means for all of us, not just me or you.
Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. We should celebrate that idea because it marks a moment in humanity when the Lord sent His only son to be born into this world to experience the human condition. When Christ was born, we were guaranteed salvation as sinners and imperfect people through His blood if we follow His words and the Commandments and we live by the word of the Lord. Also because of His birth into this world, humanity was given hope, a reason to believe that we can be saved through His suffering on the cross.
This is the reason for the season. Y’shua, or Jesus if you prefer, was born into this world as our Savior offering hope for you and for me, and this is the greatest gift of all. Rejoice, and have a wonderful, merry Christmas!
About the Author
Fred has been writing articles since the early 1970's as a columnist. He enjoys telling the world about life in the Ozarks, Christian values and his many, many interests.
