What to Say...

“Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas?”

I’m squarely in the “Merry Christmas” camp. And it isn’t merely because of my minor rebellious politically incorrect tendencies. It is a matter of the nature of blessings.

To wish someone well in any regard is to bless them. It may not seem like that big of a deal, but that is because words today have largely been divorced from real meaning and impact. When someone sneezes, we say “bless you” or some variant without even thinking about it. But for most of human history, blessing someone was no mere polite thoughtless phrase, it was a significant event with strong spiritual effect.

It was viewed such by the recipient, as well as the giver.

Christmas Greetings and Blessings

        When the world was a younger place, even so, humans were still much the same as they are today (after all, having been created by God, our very nature has been ordained, although corrupted), and people went about their lives--working, eating, sleeping, laughing, loving, crying, rejoicing, hurting.  One man felt it was all meaningless, while many others didn't even try to figure it all out.

        All the while the sun rose and coursed the sky, the moon waxed and waned, stars drew the minds of gazers, and gentle breezes refreshed weary travellers and hunched-over laborers.  Time passed.  Nations changed, lifestyles came and went, but people were the same.

        One family grew, the children becoming adults, working, falling in love, having their children.  They were close, even through many generations, 52nd cousins ten times removed, etc.  Of course there was friction from time to time, family crises and such, even unspeakable things within immediate families; after all they were still human. However, most of the time they kept the bonds close, even when some lived at a distance from others.

        In one branch, an old woman was childless.  She was a woman of dignity, respected in the family, and beyond.  The townspeople grew up considering her their second mother, but she always wanted one of her own.  But the Lord sealed her womb, and she praised Him in the temple, and in her heart.  Zack, her husband, also longed for a son, and like his wife, he was a pillar in the community.  How many of the young men had bounced on his knee when they were babies?  How many of the young girls had made wreaths of flowers for his hair, and he wore them as crowns bestowed by the king.  But with every bounce, every wreath, he mouthed the name of his son, whispered the name of his daughter, but they didn't answer back, for no one was there.

        As strange as it may sound however, their grief changed and became unspeakable joy with the arrival of a son.  Yeah, it didn't make any sense, but God was faithful, and all they knew to do was to raise their hands to heaven with joy.  And the town, and the family, praised God with them.  Why should they get the blessing, they sometimes wondered.  After all, there were other barren couples and most of them NEVER had children.  Zack would just shrug his shoulders, thank God and put his arm around his wife as they watched their little miracle grow.

        The old woman had a cousin, who was one sixth her age, but a dear child, and one whom many a young man thought would make a good wife. This family also, was known in their community, above reproach, and generous with all the little they had.  The girl skipped with her friends, talked and laughed and pointed at the boys in the village, just like the rest of them.  She got water from the well, helped her mom do the work around the house, and dreamed of what it would be like to have been one of the saints of old, but would laugh to herself with the silliness of the thought.

        One day her mother noticed some swelling in the girl's stomach. She was pregnant.  She cried as she told her father.  And fear and shame came down on the family, overshadowing the joy of the cousins, and the joy of the upcoming new life.  She tried to explain that she hadn't, really.  She said it was a miracle, not a curse.  But somehow, at first, that only took the edge off of the stares and the scandalous looks surreptitiously eased her way.  It got better over time, and she could hold up her head.  Her fiancé supported her, though at great cost to his reputation as well.

        Then a few days before she was due, as they were packing for a trip, she looked up at the sky.  A bright star was shining that hadn't been there before.  She called her (now) husband and he came to her and looked.  It was a strange light, but comforting, even enticing.  She began to look forward to the trip, although she was very ill.  She looked at her stomach, and said, "Who ARE you, that all of this has happened to me?  Who am I, that you should be coming from me?"

        How could all of her life expectations be so trashed so quickly, and yet have such peace and awe carrying her along on a tide of things greater than herself, like she was an unwitting stowaway on a ship bound for waters where the map only said, "Here there be dragons."

        "Who ARE you?" she asked again.  "Who are you?"

        So she found herself in a stable with her husband, two horses, three oxen and four sheep. She wrapped herself in hay to keep the chill of the night away, as the lantern flickered.  She could see the light from the star, because the moon was new, and the star was SO bright.

        In her arms was the newest addition to the family, but one like his cousin-- not come about in the normal course of things, but caused by the very hand of God rippling through their lives like a fish flashing past in a stream, so sudden and unexpected, yet beautiful, mysterious, exciting. Beyond understanding, but saying, "Come, and behold.  I AM the Lord, the God of all flesh.  I AM come.  Come to me.  I will show you all this and more.  Come; taste and see.  I want you to understand, that is why I AM here."

        "Today, I have made your family My family. And because of you, all may join My family.  I will be their God and they will be My people, My children, as I AM yours."

        "What do you mean?" said the girl.

        "Can you understand a baby?  Then how can you understand me?  Yet I AM come, a baby.  I AM the Lord.  I have made Myself helpless, young Mary.  Protect and nurture Me.  I AM the Most High. Change My swaddling cloths.  I AM the Holy One of Israel.  Feed Me, Mary.  I AM the Lion Of Judah.  Comfort Me when I scrape My knee.  I AM the Lord of Hosts.  I AM your Son.  I AM."

        "You asked, 'Who ARE you?' You are right. I AM, Mary, my mother, I AM."

        The manger and the star are now stuff of legend, but the reality of the human lives of that family lives on in each of our families, because the reality of our lives is the same as theirs, for we are created by the same I AM, and He IS to this day.  When we feel helpless, He IS there, for He was helpless. The baby became a man, and the man became a Saviour, and the Saviour calls us family, and the family is close, even though we sometimes live far away.  But we can celebrate together in spite of the distance, celebrate the helpless birth of the I AM. 

Merry Christmas, family. Merry Christmas.

“Forgive Me for Saying ‘Merry Christmas’”

“Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”? This has been a bit of an issue for several years, but seems to be in the news a LOT more this time around, along with ‘holiday tree’ versus ‘Christmas tree.’

I truly appreciate the sentiment of not wanting to make others feel left out if they don’t celebrate my holy day. Scripture encourages us to, as much as it is up to us, live in peace with all. And it is dicey to use as a counterargument Jesus’ words, “If you are ashamed of me before men, I will be ashamed of you before my Father.” There are two reasons for it being dicey.

1)      Are you saying ‘Merry Christmas’ as a blessing or a social convention? If you mean it as a blessing in the truest sense of the word, then you don’t need to be reading this post. You have the issue settled in your own heart. If it is a social convention, then perhaps the question to ask is why aren’t you taking advantage of an opportunity to bless people? Your answer will reveal a lot.

2)      Much of modern Christian tradition, including much about the ‘traditional’ Christmas celebration has some origins in pagan ritual, and for some Christians, this is enough to convince them to wash their hands of any aspect of the season. Thus, their answer is that they hold their Saviour in such high esteem, they will not cheapen His name in a basically pagan holiday. Thus, it is not out of shame that they do not wish someone ‘Merry Christmas,’ but quite the opposite.

Where does that leave us? Paul offers good insight in Colossians 2:16-17, “Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.” The principle here and elsewhere in his writings is that we have the Holy Spirit living inside us and we are to let Him convict or excuse us in regard of our worship and bringing glory to Him.

What is the purpose of pretty much everything? To glorify God. Therefore if your goal and heart is to glorify Him, and His Word and His Spirit give you leave, then do it with joy and conviction. If any of these warn you away, then obey. When you meet a brother or sister who disagrees with you, neither party should judge the other; rather have the freedom to discuss or graciously persuade, remembering the same Spirit indwells each and live in peace.

So, what about folks who don’t believe and/or don’t celebrate Christmas? My conviction is that if they are people of peace, they will receive my blessing and be warmed by it, and in some small way, is a light of witness to them. If they are not people of peace and take offense, then it serves as a witness against them and the blessing will return to me. Again, Paul offers a higher perspective in 1 Corinthians 2:14-16, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. For ‘who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?’But we have the mind of Christ.” If they choose to be offended by a blessing sincerely given, it is no skin off of our back. They have chosen foolishness and, at worst, reveal themselves to be children of their Father below. Regardless, I have more important things about which to worry than someone being offended by well-wishes from the heart of my faith.

There may be some who would return with the accusation that I’ve never been ‘oppressed’ by a blessing from another from a different faith. That is partially true. I have never been oppressed by a blessing, but I have had blessings bestowed on me by people of other faiths, twice. In each case, I was deeply humbled, grateful and filled with joy. Once, I was visiting with a friend who owned a Jamaican restaurant across the street from where I once lived. A foreign black family came in dressed in the richest of robes like African royalty and made me feel like I was in the presence of one of the three kings and his family. We visited and I can’t for the life of me remember about what, but as I left the store, the father raised his right hand in benediction and blessed me, though not in the name of Christ. I will treasure that moment for my lifetime. Similarly, I once found myself in a conversation on a campus with a couple of Jehovah’s Witness, and we chatted for something like 90 minutes about our different perspectives. As we parted, the older JW also blessed me because of his respect for me and the gracious honesty of our discussion.

Therefore, I am fully convinced in my spirit that to be true to my Saviour, it is fully appropriate to wish others ‘Merry Christmas’ without shame, uncertainty or apology.

Merry Christmas!

SDG