Several days later, she opened the inside of the card to read the message she had
sent to everyone. She was shocked to discover her Christmas card greeting was not a
typical greeting but a Christmas announcement which read: “This is simply a note to
say – A Christmas gift is on the way!” Oops! Major dilemma on aisle 3.
You have to admit that things can get a tad bit confusing this time of year. Gifts to
buy – parties to attend – relatives to see and baking to be done – Christmas gets busy!
But that’s Christmas!!!

In 1967, a new holiday was created to be celebrated at Christmas time – Kwanzaa. It
was created by a man named Ron Everett who later changed his name to Dr. Karenga
and began practicing African traditions for black Americans here in the U.S. At about
the same time period, communities got pretty crazy with people wanting to do away
with Christmas altogether – one group took a cue from an old Seinfeld show and
started celebrating “Festivus” – which was another made-up holiday.

Government schools began to scrap traditional Christmas songs in favor of
snowmen & reindeer only! No longer was it, “We wish you a Merry Christmas.” It was
changed to – “We wish you a happy holiday.” Okay – exactly which holiday are we
celebrating? There were even top name stores that told their employees not to wish
customers “Merry Christmas!” (I personally boycotted one of those stores that holiday
season.) I don’t mind people celebrating whatever they want to celebrate…it’s the
elimination of Christmas that irks me.

So — what would our lives be like without Christmas? For starters, no winter family
gathering – no Xmas gifts – no holiday traditions – no cards or special decorations – no
Xmas trees – no Grinch who stole Christmas – and our children would have to go to
school the entire month of December. Without Christmas, December 25th would be a
terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day!

But, of course, for the bigger picture, without the birth of Christ, our entire world
would be very different today!! Our major universities – think Oxford, Cambridge,
Harvard & Yale – were founded by Christians. Many hospitals and major humanitarian
outreaches such as the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, World Relief, World Vision &
Food for the Hungry, have the thumbprint of Christians all over them. Again – without
the birth of Christ – our world would be very different!

But without Christmas, something far worse wouldn’t have happened: Jesus Christ
would not have come. Salvation for all would not have been made available yet. It was
purely the love of God that brought Jesus into our world over 2,000 years ago.
This standout quote by Ann Voskamp wraps it all up: “So God throws open the door
of this world – and enters as a baby. What religion ever had such a God that wanted
such intimacy with us that He came with such vulnerability to us? What God ever
came so tender we could touch Him? So vulnerable that His bare, beating heart could
get hurt? Only the One who loves you to death.”

It’s so ironic for me to watch children open their presents on Christmas morning.
The anticipation and joy they experience for what may be in their brightly wrapped
gifts is amazing to watch! The highlight of Christmas presents is to watch as they
unwrap that special gift that we picked out just for them. What child would leave a gift
unopened if they knew it was theirs? Yet – to this day there are so many people who
have left the “indescribable gift” – as the Bible calls it – unopened. Why?

Someone once wisely noted: “We consider Christmas as the encounter, the great
encounter, the historical encounter, the decisive encounter – between God and
mankind. He who has faith knows this truly; let him rejoice!” Maybe this Christmas…
open THE gift.

Bob and Susan Beckett pastor The Dwelling Place City Church at 27100 Girard Street
in Hemet, CA. For more information, you may contact them at DPCitychurch.org.

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