Yes, let's return the Christ in Christmas. Although, first to those of you who aren't Christian by faith, but still celebrate this holiday by culture, you're off the hook here. After all, this was actually your holiday first. I don't remember what you originally called it, but I know you were celebrating the winter solstice long before we Christians came along, and it would be a bit churlish of us to demand that you celebrate the holiday in the way we see best. Now back to those who claim the name of the Christ as their own.
I absolutely agree that we should be putting Christ back at the center of Christmas, but what if we went deeper than posting "Merry CHRISTmas!" on facebook? Instead, what if we put Christ back into his holiday by living deeply, meaningfully, intentionally the way Jesus lives? We could start by celebrating in a way that puts others before ourselves. I don't just mean people we like, our friends, families and certain coworkers, I mean the World, the one Jesus came to save, the one he lived for and later died for. Let's consider putting the whole of creation before ourselves. Let's make meaningful sacrifice, on the order of giving up our own glory that the World may know the Love of God. Perhaps we could start with The Other, The Different, even our Enemies.
Let's put Christ back in Christmas by searching our own hearts and souls for places that we have told Jesus he has no business going, places where we like things fine just the way they are, thank you very much. Let's relinquish our certainty that we know not just what's best for ourselves, but what's best for everyone else, our clear-eyed view of exactly how Jesus should be working in this world. Let's let go of our certainty that we have inalienable rights to anything. Let's live up to our claim that Jesus is our King. Let's live humbly and move graciously through the world.
We could put Christ back into Christmas by living joyfully all season long. We could share the joy not only of giving, but of forgiving. We could share the joy of not needing our own way. We could share joy by letting people be who they already are, God's precious creations, and not frustrating subjects for us to control.
As I drive around town and am implored by billboard and church sign alike to "Remember the Reason for the Season," I have to wonder something. In the attempt to put Christ back in Christmas by demanding that everyone share the same greetings, put out the same decorations and in general celebrate with the same traditions, is it possible that we have actually just shoved Christ right out of Christmas and put ourselves and our own righteousness into the center of it?
