Christmas is Spelled With a Capital C

Ah, the Christmas season. I love this time of year. My favorite time of year. I don't know what it is but have you noticed that this time of year always invokes different modes and feelings in people. It always seems to bring out the best in people, even if it's only one time of the year. They're more charitable, giving and helpful. More people are willing to open up the pocketbook and help out in things that they normally wouldn't do any other time of the year. I guess that's one reason why I love Christmas so much.

But why are people so bright cheerful, and giving at this time of year? Why right now? Our economy is not doing well. and people are struggling to make ends meet. It's just a tough time to be in the giving mood.

I saw a Christmas special the other night, and it was a special rebroadcast of "The Walton's". Remember that program? They had all the cast members, much older of course, and they were talking about making and doing the scenes from that special.

The time was during World War ll, and the Walton's had kind of adopted these two young British kids, who had been separated from their parents during the bombing by the Germans. They were staying with them for awhile, and it showed all the adjusting and making do with what they had, while they were there. The one thing that really grabbed me, was how they didn't hardly have anything, but they always had something to give to someone else, who had none. Isn't that what Christmas is all about? Giving and sharing with those that don't have anything?

I don't know if your grand-parents or aunts and uncles, who lived during the great depression, are still around, but you might find it very interesting to ask them to recall some of those times. Maybe share some of their stories with you at this Christmas time.

Those people really struggled financially. Many of them had to move in with other family members and everybody did their part. My wife and I had one of our children and their kids, move in with us for awhile. It was not easy and their big adjustments that had to be taken by all, but we did it to help each other out. Many people are having to do that today.

You see, when times get tough, the tough get going. Something magical happens. You can either go one of two ways. You either sink or swim, but everybody has to be on the same page. Coming together is the only way anyone will make it, and it is a time when you will learn a lot about yourself. All the talk won't be worth a hill of beans, it's the actions that will show what your really made of.

It wasn't just about meeting the physical needs of everyone, there were also feelings and emotions that were riding very high. Imagine having ten to twelve people living in a three bedroom house. Tight quarters and no place to go where you could be by yourself. Everyone had to carry around a lot more patience, understanding, and compassion. You had to learn that your needs were not always going to be first. Could we learn some of that today, and you know, we maybe heading for that again.

It's easy to be benevolent when I just have to do it for three or four weeks out of the year, but lets see how I do for the next three or four years. We just may be heading for that, and some people are already there now.

Maybe we can learn something more this Christmas then just having a little bit more Christmas cheer. I mean do I really need five TV's in my house? Is it really all that important for me to get the new IPad, when I already have two computers? There are people living on the street that don't know where their next meal will come from. Their children are cold and hungry. These are not drunks or drug addicts, they are people with college educations, that had very good jobs and made a very good living. It's all gone now. Can I give up something so I can help them?

There is a reason that Christmas is spelled with a capital C. It stands for Christ. His name is part of the word Christmas. He gave the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me. He had nothing. No job, no home, no gold and silver, no IPad's that He could sell and give, all He had was a perfect sinless life to offer for your ransom and mine.

You see, the reason you and I will taste death, is because of our sin. The penalty for that sin, is death. All of humanity was plunged into Satan's prison, because of the disobedience of our parents, Adam and Eve, that's why only a perfect unblemished life could be offered as a payment for our ransom.

One thing that Satan never thought would happen, is that God Himself, would come down to this murky sin filled planet, and pay that ransom, and win our freedom back from Satan.

God came down to this earth in the form of a man, and that man's name was Jesus Christ, who's birth we celebrate on Christmas. Maybe that's why people do good around Christmas because God initiated it by the giving of Himself for you and me.

I don't care what religion you are, how or even if you celebrate Christmas, weather you say, "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas", it doesn't change the facts of the real story of Christmas. It's not about a little baby in a manger, but a risen savior, who opened the way to God for you and me. All we have to do...is walk in it.

That's why Christmas is spelled with a capital C.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son, that whosoever should believe in Him, would not perish, but have ever-lasting life." John 3:16