Today, December 4th, I was standing in line at the local post office when a well dressed middle aged woman came up to the counter and asked the clerk for some Christmas stamps. The clerk replied by telling her that the only ones she has left are religious. To this, the lady exclaimed, “I do not want any religious themed Christmas stamps for my Christmas ca
rds. Christmas does not having anything to do with religion or anything religious. It is just another misinterpreted Christian focused holiday like Easter.”
This proclamation caught my ear and attention. It raised my curiosity to the peak to where I just had to see what she was going to do next. As I took my time addressing an envelope I watched her stuff some cards into envelopes and prepare them for sending them on to her Christmas card list recipients. As I glanced at the pile of cards yet to be processed, I read the opening on what seemed to be on each one. On the front of the card it read something like this, “May the Christ of Christmas Fill Your Life with His Love and Peace. May You and I Never Leave Him Out of Our Lives”.
I could hardly believe what I was reading and what she was challenging herself and those who would be receiving her Christmas cards. Was this the same woman that just a few moments prior made the bold proclamation that Christmas is just another misinterpreted holiday and it has nothing to do with religion? Yet here she was telling people to not let the Christ of Christmas be left out of their lives.
I must admit that my religious blood began to boil. I could feel the apologetic arguments starting to formulate in my head. My pulse started rising with anticipation for the soon to be confrontation with this woman who dares to eliminate Christ from Christmas. I could hear my preacher mind saying, “Now it your time to stand up”. I was so ready to let her have it. But then.....
But then …, I realized she was correct in some of what she was saying to the postal clerk. I strongly disagree that Christmas is a misinterpreted Christian holiday, but I do agree with her in a principle. Christmas is not really about religion. It is about our heavenly Father desiring so badly to a restored relationship with people; people like you, me and this lady that he gave us a gift of life.
As I pondered these thoughts another came up. She was wrong in saying that Christmas had nothing to do with religion. Christmas has everything to do with religion. Why was her statement wrong? I feel that it was wrong based upon the thought that for several centuries, religion was proclaimed and demanded. That this religion was hammering people from experiencing the desired relationship that God had for people. Religion flies airplanes into buildings, causes people to stumble, miss out on the beauty of God and his love, and misunderstand the meaning of Christmas (and Easter).
So there I stood, in a theological debate with myself. What conclusion did I come up with? This … “May Christmas bring us to realize the value of religion so we can truly understand the value of a relationship with God based upon his unmerited favor and saving grace.” So does Christmas have anything to do with religion or not? I guess we could debate it for a long time. So either way, may the Christmas season bring us deeper and more connected in our relationship with our loving heavenly Father
Oh what happen to this lady, you may ask? Well I do not know. All I know as I was standing there thinking she finished her task and walked out of the post office. I was awakened from my thoughts by a person asking me if I was finished with my spot at the counter.
My prayer for her and the recipients of her Christmas cards is the same for all of us. “May the Christ of Christmas (and Easter) never be left out of our lives”.
rds. Christmas does not having anything to do with religion or anything religious. It is just another misinterpreted Christian focused holiday like Easter.”This proclamation caught my ear and attention. It raised my curiosity to the peak to where I just had to see what she was going to do next. As I took my time addressing an envelope I watched her stuff some cards into envelopes and prepare them for sending them on to her Christmas card list recipients. As I glanced at the pile of cards yet to be processed, I read the opening on what seemed to be on each one. On the front of the card it read something like this, “May the Christ of Christmas Fill Your Life with His Love and Peace. May You and I Never Leave Him Out of Our Lives”.
I could hardly believe what I was reading and what she was challenging herself and those who would be receiving her Christmas cards. Was this the same woman that just a few moments prior made the bold proclamation that Christmas is just another misinterpreted holiday and it has nothing to do with religion? Yet here she was telling people to not let the Christ of Christmas be left out of their lives.
I must admit that my religious blood began to boil. I could feel the apologetic arguments starting to formulate in my head. My pulse started rising with anticipation for the soon to be confrontation with this woman who dares to eliminate Christ from Christmas. I could hear my preacher mind saying, “Now it your time to stand up”. I was so ready to let her have it. But then.....
But then …, I realized she was correct in some of what she was saying to the postal clerk. I strongly disagree that Christmas is a misinterpreted Christian holiday, but I do agree with her in a principle. Christmas is not really about religion. It is about our heavenly Father desiring so badly to a restored relationship with people; people like you, me and this lady that he gave us a gift of life.
As I pondered these thoughts another came up. She was wrong in saying that Christmas had nothing to do with religion. Christmas has everything to do with religion. Why was her statement wrong? I feel that it was wrong based upon the thought that for several centuries, religion was proclaimed and demanded. That this religion was hammering people from experiencing the desired relationship that God had for people. Religion flies airplanes into buildings, causes people to stumble, miss out on the beauty of God and his love, and misunderstand the meaning of Christmas (and Easter).
So there I stood, in a theological debate with myself. What conclusion did I come up with? This … “May Christmas bring us to realize the value of religion so we can truly understand the value of a relationship with God based upon his unmerited favor and saving grace.” So does Christmas have anything to do with religion or not? I guess we could debate it for a long time. So either way, may the Christmas season bring us deeper and more connected in our relationship with our loving heavenly Father
Oh what happen to this lady, you may ask? Well I do not know. All I know as I was standing there thinking she finished her task and walked out of the post office. I was awakened from my thoughts by a person asking me if I was finished with my spot at the counter.
My prayer for her and the recipients of her Christmas cards is the same for all of us. “May the Christ of Christmas (and Easter) never be left out of our lives”.
