I’m 60 years old, but I remember well the Christmases of my childhood. Seldom did we sleep well on Christmas Eve. I doubt we had “visions of sugar-plums” dancing in our heads, but I’m sure we had thoughts of Matchbox cars, army men, fishing gear, and bicycles – thoughts about “stuff.” I know we wondered–and asked continually about–just how early on Christmas morning we could head downstairs to begin ripping into the presents!
After I became a follower of Christ at age 13, Christmas took on new meaning. Christ was my personal Savior – and suddenly the “stuff” of Christmas presents lost some of its meaning. Living in the light of eternity does that, you know. The temporary things of this world lose their significance when we really know the God of Christmas.
I remember another Christmas many years later when I found myself sitting in traffic, stuck with others who had delayed their shopping until almost too late. While sitting in my car, I smelled a horrendous odor in the distance – so strong, in fact, that the stench worked its way through my closed car windows. What I could not see in the dark was a large garbage dump in the distance. Mounds of garbage piled high, and men working overtime continually dumped even more refuse on those piles.
The whole scene seemed odd, actually. Our cars lined up by the dozens, all on our way to buy “stuff”– stuff that would eventually wind up at the top of this same dump. We were spending temporary money to buy temporary stuff that would land on this temporary pile. And, frankly, most of us still do.
Please don’t hear me wrongly, though. I am not arguing against Christmas gifts. Christmas is indeed a time of giving. What I’m arguing for is making sure we keep our priorities straight.
Christmas is about God’s giving Himself as the present. It’s about remembering that the everlasting One gave all so we might live eternally with Him. It’s also about building memories with the people God graciously places in our lives.
Today, I trust you are giving gifts. At the same time, be a gift to someone else. Introduce others to the One who is the Gift today and in the weeks and months to come.
The “stuff” will all disappear, but our God will reign forever.
Merry Christmas from Chuck and Pam Lawless!