Friday, December 02, 2005

Who wants to follow this?

I assure you this post is written with a lite spirit, but still very sincere...

Sometimes when I see stuff like this, I have a tendency to get pretty angry. Most of the time I end of laughing but sometimes cussing still. It definitely wasn't a "salvation moment" (see previous post) to say the least -hah.

Anyways, I know I am nowhere near perfect and I do have my own inconsistencies but I am just wondering how this is received by someone of another faith. Or someone of no faith. I'm sure it wouldn't be, "Wow, I want something like that in my life..." Not saying it's wrong to want to say Merry Christmas... I absolutely love this time of year... But I do doubt Joseph and Mary ran around saying Merry Christmas every year and certainly doubt Jesus was all that concerned about it...

On that note, I realize once gain, I am fairly cynical at times... Jesus probably didn't do that much either... Maybe I should go make a t-shirt... - Crap!!! I did it again...

I do believe it is worth celebrating love coming down to us from heaven. I pray we find a way this Christmas, and every other time during the year, to offer that love in this world. I just have a difficult time seeing how that love really gets communicated wearing a shirt that says "I'm right and you're wrong... deal with it..." From the bottom of my heart, here's to having a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanza, Happy birthday, or whatever else we maybe celebrating this time of year... May love, truth, and peace find all of us...

-J

4 comments:

shellyeve said...

I think it's good to want to maintain a front focus of Christ yearround - I think as followers of Christ that is necessary - but I am glad this nation has a season of celebration where we can speak out of the truth of Christ as the reason for the season (not to be cliche - just truthful) so I hope you are encouraged today by the love of our Savior and by the desire He's implanted in you to serve Him yearround :):):) Praise God.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the better question is why do I get two days off for thanksgiving at work and only one day for Christmas?

jason said...

Just to address the comment about 2 days off for Thanksgiving and 1 for Christmas, I get your frustration and feel it.. I would say, however, that Jesus never promised an easy road... He never said government or our jobs would fully protect our rights or calling to follow him... He only asks us to follow... and in following, to love him with all our heart and to treat neighbors as ourselves (no matter what they believe...)

I fully believe love is the answer... May God lead us in sharing His Kingdom...

Shalom

-J

jeff said...

Saw this on Bill O'Reilly's web site in the context of the conversation about Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays and it made me laugh...
"Every company in America should be on its knees thanking Jesus for being born. Without Christmas, most American businesses would be far less profitable. More than enough reason for business to be screaming Merry Christmas."

I saw something on the news about it too and the whole thing kind of makes me sad and I think it's somewhat absurd. They're now calling Christmas trees "Holiday Trees". Not that any of us understand why it's a Christmas tree, but someone probably had a reason once and "Holiday Tree" is just stupid.

But I also get sad about the fact that Christmas has been so commercialized. I'm sad that my kids got a Thomas the Train (who was created by a British pastor) Advent Calendar from their grandparents that has a picture of Thomas to open on December 24th. I've been sad in past times that I get more excited about the festivities and presents and family time than about Christ being born. And I get that this "Happy Holidays" stuff all seems like a conspiracy of a few too eliminate another vestige of the largely Christian heritage of our nation and we should stand up for what we believe.

But in the end what's sad is that people's hearts aren't turned towards Christ in appreciation of Him, and T-shirts and boycotts aren't going to change anyone's heart. I was talking to someone about this boycott one pastor is encouraging against stores that say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", my friend's comment was that Jesus would probably shop in the places that said "Happy Holidays", not because there's anything wrong with Merry Christmas, but the Happy Holidays folks need Jesus. My friend was probably right...