Christmas in Repose

I was looking at some photos today on the wall in my office building. These photos were your typical sports team pictures: the football team lined up in 2 rows in the center of the picture, the coaches on either side of the team with their hands folded neatly behind their back, and the one loan kid waiving a peace sign to the camera. But what struck me was one of the coaches. Now, I saw him in multiple pictures of the teams he had coached over the years that my company had sponsored. As the history is laid out over those years, the one coach remains the same, but his demeanor changes in each picture as the years go by. It made me reflect on how we look at Christmas each year.
I kept asking myself as I looked at those pictures: what was he thinking about when that picture was taken? Was he having a bad day? Did he just win the lottery in another? I have no idea. What I do know is that it was a brief moment in time: a snapshot. Our culture’s Christmas season is always just a snapshot. We think about God a little more during this time of year, some people only go to church on this one day all year, or we may step up our game to make sure we talk with those people we know who might otherwise not think twice about coming to church. The other things we see are those signs that say “Jesus is the Reason for the Season.” How true that is, but what about how skewed that is?
There’s a quote from a man named Perry Noble, the lead pastor of Newspring Church in South Carolina, from a sermon he gave last year during this season. He said, “Jesus isn’t the reason for the season, Jesus is the reason for LIFE!” Wow, how true THAT is. What I pray for is that our focus remains the same as it is during the Christmas season, but during the other 11 months of the year. Just walk around and you will see during this shopping season, there are people all over who need Jesus Christ. The evidence lies in the woman who just yanked the last Wii game from another woman’s hand because her child needed it more than the other woman’s. The evidence lies in the man who just yelled at the waitress because he had to wait 10 minutes longer than he is used to for his food, and it wasn’t at the exact temperature he wanted it. The evidence lies in the teenager who works behind the counter at Wal-Mart having to deal with the frustrated person at the register when the item was on sale in the back, but the price that is ringing up isn’t correct.
This time of year can refocus our efforts, but let’s work to keep it focused all year round. I wish you all a joyous Christmas filled with love and peace.

Jeremiah

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