KEEPING CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS

The Christmas season has been underway for some time now. Christmas carols have been playing over the radio and mall music systems for several weeks. We are now being inundated with Christmas movies and specials on the television, especially on cable. The Salvation Army Bell ringers are now positioned outside the stores (this year I understand with credit card readers since people don't carry cash). The stores are being jammed with shoppers who don't seem to think there's a recession going on.

There have long been two celebrations of Christmas in America. The first, the cultural one, I have pretty much described it above. The latter is the spiritual celebration, the Christian holiday that proclaims the birth of Jesus Christ and the message of hope He brings.

These dual celebrations, however, often spark a "Christmas war". Marketers, mindful of the cultural celebration, try to bleach the Christ out of Christmas. "Happy holidays" is the politically correct and market smart (so they believe) way of greeting people in the season. Christians, especially those who are frustrated by the loss of respect and influence in America for Christianity, bridle at anything less than a heart "Merry Christmas" (even in the clerk or service provider has no religious affiliation or values). Already my email in-box is filled with strident jeremiads that we need to fight to keep Christ in Christmas.

Frankly, I don't stress or obsess over this issue. A hollow declaration of "Merry Christmas" is empty of meaning and about as useful as a prayer ritualistically recited in a church service. The systematic de-Christing Christmas of references to the Savior does offend me; but making it a personal affront to which I feel the need to retaliate seems inconsistent with a follower of the Prince of Peace.

Christmas is really a celebration of the Incarnation, of God loving His people enough to come in the flesh to redeem us from our sin. Philippians 2.5-11 tells us about this and declares, "Let your attitude be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but humbled himself and took the form of a servant .."

To me--Christians would better serve God by not insisting that people keep Christ in Christmas by saying "Merry Christmas" but by being Christ in Christmas. The best declaration to the world that Jesus Christ has been born is not a holiday saying or manger scenes or overt religious ceremonies, but by taking a cue from Christ--by serving people with the same sacrificial love Christ exhibited--doing it in Jesus name--serving even those who despise Christ and Christians.