We had a kids party at our church last night and watched the beloved “Charlie Brown Christmas” video. The kids and all of us adults loved it! But afterwards there were some shorts that were added to the video and one of them was Charlie Brown and his little sister Sally working on an essay on the true meaning of Christmas. Sally begins to write and puts down “The real meaning of Christmas is the spirit of getting!” And as soon as Charlie Brown sees that he launches, appropriately into the whole issue of giving rather than getting. And that was right. But then I got to thinking about that and thought that maybe Sally accidently stumbled onto something that we sometimes lose on the real meaning of Christmas. Now first, I get what was being said; our materialistic longings are not where we want our hearts to be. We want to have a generous and giving spirit and actually give…like God gave to us on that first Christmas. And that’s the key. We did nothing to deserve the gift of God on that first Christmas. We gave nothing. He did it all. Christmas is all about us getting the gift of the Savior of the world. And having the door of our hearts opened to the love and kindness and life that he brings to us. So, in a kind of convoluted way…Sally is right. Christmas, the real Christmas is about us getting…not giving. We receive him. The Bible says that to all who did receive him, who believed in His name, He gave…the right to become children of God. Not born of people but born of God. So please do be generous in your giving of greetings, well-wishes and even gifts. But remember that at the core of Christmas is the truth that God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son. And whoever believed in him would not perish but have everlasting life. Make sure this Christmas you get this gift, this Jesus who is himself the meaning of Christmas. Merry Christmas! Here’s our Bible verse for today…
John 1:10-13 BSB He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. (11) He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (12) But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— (13) children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ
John 1:10-13 BSB He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. (11) He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. (12) But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— (13) children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God.
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ