Tonight we had the pure parental pleasure of watching our daughter sing in a children's choir for the Governor's Carolighting. What a beautiful experience for her. She even had an ETV camera zoom in really close! The service was beautiful, the music exceptional. It was an inspiring way to launch into the Christmas season.... until the Governor started speaking.
We are fortunate in our state to have a "Christian" governor. He acknowledged at the start of his speech that Christmas truly belongs to the Christians. How sad when he had to continue on struggling to find pertinence for those who "do not hold to the Christian origins of the season". He decided that Christmas offers two positive opportunities for "non-Christians".
First of all, according to our governor, Christmas provides an opportunity for people to practice traditions and experience "togetherness". He related warm memories of his mother reading T'was the Night Before Christmas to him and his siblings. Next, he offered that non-christians could experience a new appreciation for others through gift giving and cited the example of a self-absorbed teen who ponders what his little brother might truly like for Christmas.
How sad that we offer to others a false "meaning" of Christmas during this sacred season in attempt to include them without imposing our "beliefs" on them. How sad that others can only know a portion of the joy we experience as Christians through the true meaning of Christmas. How wonderful that others could experience a full, guilt-free, abundant life in communion with the One true God of the universe, if only we would stop trying to not offend them. What if this Christmas we offered everyone on our gift list Jesus. It just might be the very best Christmas ever!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
Yes, how wonderful to offer the one and only true gift,which of course is Jesus. And isn't it sad that we Christians can get caught up in the popular, but not necessarily Christian, themes of the season only to be embarrassed when realization hits us in the face that we put Him aside for even a short time?
I think that this Christmas I'm going to concentrate extra hard on the true meaning and try not to get caught up in the other stuff. It's going to be a challenge!
Amen Sister(in-law)! I was going to respond in a long "rant", as Rod calls it, but I think you said it well. I've planned on slowing down and concentrating on the REAL meaning of Christmas too. It shouldn't be so hard should it?
Post a Comment