What Christmas Is All About

In It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey learns that Christmas is about giving and receiving and relationships. "No man is a failure who has friends," Clarence the angel reminds George, who has just had the opportunity, on Christmas Eve, to see what the world would be like if he had never been born.

The experiences of Ebenezer Scrooge show us that Christmas is about being kind and generous and embracing relationships. Once a miserable, stingy, hate-filled old man, Scrooge learns to keep Christmas as well as anyone living.

For Ralphie, Christmas is mostly about getting a Red Ryder BB gun, and a little bit about spending some time with family making memories.

The Grinch's heart grows three sizes when he realizes after he has stolen all of Whoville's presents, decorations, and Who-ham that Christmas comes anyway. Christmas is far more than Christmas presents.

The stories of Christmas tell us that the holiday  is about being a little nicer, feeling a little warmer, being more inclined to perform acts of generosity and kindness to our fellow human beings. And doing all of these things gives us that--well, you know--that feeling of Christmas, children laughing, people passing, meeting smile after smile while hearing silver bells ringing on every corner.

As much as I love the stories of Christmas, though, most of them get it wrong. Most of them communicate that Christmas is about something we do, something we get, something we make, or something we buy. But how empty a Christmas created by us leaves us! The decorations come down. The presents break, get old, don't fit, get returned. The little love we've put in our hearts for our fellow man drowns in January's slush. We find ourselves asking Charlie Brown's question: "I guess I don’t really know what Christmas is about. Isn’t there anyone who understands what Christmas is all about?"

And Linus gives Charlie Brown the best answer:

“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in the manger.’ And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men.’”

For George Bailey, that old building and loan will continue to struggle to survive, Uncle Billy will continue to drink too much, and chances are good that George will never get to go to college or travel around the world.  Scrooge will find that despite his best efforts at good will toward his fellow man, he will continue to be frustrated with fellow humans who are irresponsible, tardy, and, in his opinion, spendthrifts. Ralphie will outgrow his BB gun and want something bigger, more expensive, and, most likely, well beyond his grasp. And the Grinch will find that a heart that grows is not necessarily a heart that has been changed and will continue to battle the demons of jealousy and bitterness despite the warm feelings he experienced in Whoville that Christmas day.

But Linus's Christmas story give us hope because it isn't about us. It isn't a story of our becoming stronger and improved as we come to a better understanding of who we are and what we have; it is about God taking the form of a baby, becoming smaller and weaker than those He would save. It isn't about obtaining the very things of this earth that our hearts most desire; it is about God giving up the glories of heaven and living a life of poverty to rescue us from hell. It isn't about how we generate peace and good will from inside ourselves as we reach out to others, donate to our favorite charities, or lend a helping hand. It is about the peace and good will  that God offers to us as He sends His Son to die so that we can be reconciled to Him. It isn't about a season; Christmas is a reality that will carry us through the disappointments and tragedies of life, whether they happen in February, May, or October. It is about a happy ending that continues beyond the happy ending, whose next chapter does not disappoint.

Come, thou long expected Jesus, 
born to set thy people free; 
from our fears and sins release us, 
let us find our rest in thee.  
Israel's strength and consolation, 
hope of all the earth thou art; 
dear desire of every nation, 
joy of every longing heart.


Born thy people to deliver, 
born a child and yet a King, 
born to reign in us forever, 
now thy gracious kingdom bring. 
By thine own eternal spirit 
rule in all our hearts alone; 
by thine all sufficient merit, 
raise us to thy glorious throne.

~Charles Wesley

Happy Birthday in Heaven

Kristi Lynn Walborn
December 6, 1969 - January 16, 1990

Annette and Kristi
August 6, 1983

Bless you, my darling, and remember you are always in the heart--oh tucked so close there is no chance of escape--of your sister.

~Katherine Mansfield

Happy birthday in heaven, my funny, messy, noisy, beautiful, smart, stubborn, little-bit-naughty but sweet sister. See you soon!

The Sick Body

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body (1 Corinthians 12:12).

When the church is happy, healthy, and at peace, it's easy to forget that we are a body--that we're organically connected and placed, by Christ, in a bond that ought not be broken. The hand, eye, ear, nose are all well, and at times like that, we're glad, if we're an ear, that the hand is okay, but we don't need to pay much attention to the hand, so we don't.

But when the church is divided in the ugliness of sin, when that bond is stretched so thin that it very nearly breaks, it might be the hand that is broken, but we, the ear, feel that pain, as do the nose, the eyes, and all of the rest of the body parts too. We're organically connected and have been placed in that bond by Christ, so pain in one part of the body affects us all. Some of the greatest hurts of this life are feeling betrayed, being deceived, watching people whose godliness we've admired and respected disappoint us with their arrogance, anger, and refusal to admit wrongdoing. It is during these times that we are reminded of our catechism that teaches us that we are inclined, by our nature, to hate God and our neighbor.

But even in this darkness are lessons to be learned. Especially in the darkness can be growth. And these are the lessons that we learn.

1. In a conflict or disagreement, usually there isn't one person or group who is completely wrong and one group that is completely right. While sickness in the body usually starts when one person offends another, it's very easy for the offended party to fall into the trap of sinning right back--whether by being angry, gossiping, or desiring revenge. We must not take sides and deepen the divide. We must do what is right, and encourage all others to do the same, in word and deed.

2. We need to remain humble at all times. It's easy to look at a person who has fallen into sin and think, "That could never be me." I would imagine that the person that we're looking at has probably had that same thought at some time. If conflict is ever to be resolved, if ever there is to be peace, it must start with us in our interactions with one another. And we must be willing to see our own failings and confess them.

3. People who fall into sin and refuse to acknowledge that sin tend to just keep on sinning more to cover up the sins that they have committed. As people fall into this trap, I think, "Wouldn't it just be easier to say you're sorry and get on with things? It has to be much harder to keep on plotting and scheming than it would be just to repent." If we know we have done wrong, our best course of action is to repent, and not to try to justify and scheme our way out of a difficult situation. It is the surest way to gain the respect and support of our brothers and sisters.

4. A quote from a forthcoming excellent book on Christ's parables by Dr. Bilkes of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary that I've been editing: "Christ's will is that His church be a place of humility and service. It should also be a place where there is joy when straying disciples return (see Matt. 18:13). And if one brother sins against another brother, there should be reconciliation through truth and repentance." The body will never heal unless we remember that our goal must be, ultimately, "reconciliation through truth and repentance"--not just proving someone else wrong, not proving we are right, and certainly not driving the offending parties from us without resolving the problems.

5. We must never lose sight that the people in the body--even the ones with whom we may disagree--are brothers and sisters in Christ. He has placed them in His church and has shown them mercy and love. How can we do any less?

6. When someone offers up repentance, we must accept it and close the book on the matter. We should not second-guess motives or genuineness. Mercy and grace must be our operating principles.

7. Gossip is not only wrong if what we are saying is untrue. We can say something true and still be guilty of gossip if our words are intended to make someone else look bad. Saying less in situations like these is more.

8. Finally, again from Dr. Bikes: "How often have we metaphorically stood with our hands around an offending brother or sister's 'neck' while ignoring our own sin before God, which is infinitely worse? In order to loosen our grip on the 'throats' of others and grant this kingdom forgiveness easily and quickly, we should often think of our great debt before God."

Our God is great and wise, and the one who can bring life from death can certainly bring about growth even in the darkness, even when the body is sick. Learning the lessons of the darkness will bring us back into the light of health and peace and will make the body stronger.

What lessons have you learned in the darkness?