Thursday, December 08, 2005
Christmas...
There has been a lot of discussion (seemingly) everywhere i turn about Christmas. about boycotting stores, not giving presents, and so on. there's been talk about the secular view of Christmas, and so on.
here's what i think.
all the discussion is our recognition that something is wrong. we do live in a fallen world, it's true. there are "Christian" holidays - multiple ones - that have been marketed, worldified (uh, you know what i mean). and i see us trying to put the blame on the world. but i don't think that's right at all. we're called to be in the world, but not of it. it's my fault that i let the secular view of Christmas mess with my head and my heart and getting in the way of remembering what it's really all about.
i just read chapter 2 of Blue Like Jazz, and a big section of it is about realizing that we are fallen - there is something in us that is wrong. we have to teach kids to be good - they're not just good on their own. sure, there are problems all over the world: Miller's example was the Congo. but his last line sticks with me:
"Nothing is going to change in the Congo until you and I figure out what is wrong with the person in the mirror."
-Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz p. 23
last night was really good for me. hal and i went up to Lincoln Christian College for Focus. and it was all about Christmas. "all" that we did was sing a few Christmas carols and several people took turns reading Luke's account of the birth of Jesus and pray. simple. i think that's what it's all about. quieting ourselves long enough to realize the best, greatest, most expensive gift has already been given to us. 2,000 years ago. in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. He gave up all of Heaven's glory to come to earth in the flesh. to die. to be raised. and to come back again.
glory
peace
here's what i think.
all the discussion is our recognition that something is wrong. we do live in a fallen world, it's true. there are "Christian" holidays - multiple ones - that have been marketed, worldified (uh, you know what i mean). and i see us trying to put the blame on the world. but i don't think that's right at all. we're called to be in the world, but not of it. it's my fault that i let the secular view of Christmas mess with my head and my heart and getting in the way of remembering what it's really all about.
i just read chapter 2 of Blue Like Jazz, and a big section of it is about realizing that we are fallen - there is something in us that is wrong. we have to teach kids to be good - they're not just good on their own. sure, there are problems all over the world: Miller's example was the Congo. but his last line sticks with me:
"Nothing is going to change in the Congo until you and I figure out what is wrong with the person in the mirror."
-Don Miller, Blue Like Jazz p. 23
last night was really good for me. hal and i went up to Lincoln Christian College for Focus. and it was all about Christmas. "all" that we did was sing a few Christmas carols and several people took turns reading Luke's account of the birth of Jesus and pray. simple. i think that's what it's all about. quieting ourselves long enough to realize the best, greatest, most expensive gift has already been given to us. 2,000 years ago. in a manger, wrapped in swaddling clothes. He gave up all of Heaven's glory to come to earth in the flesh. to die. to be raised. and to come back again.
glory
peace
// posted by erinlizabeth @ 6:47 PM 
