Good morning. Merry Christmas.
I don't know why I'm awake, but I am. It's very quiet, the only sound is the air moving though the furnace vents. Not even the dogs are awake yet.
I haven't peeked outside, it's still very dark, but it was snowing pretty good when I went to bed. We very rarely have a white Christmas here, being the high desert plain, but we got one this year. It makes me a little homesick for Nebraska, but not too much.
Any minute now the kids are going to break down the bedroom door and chaos will ensue. There will be much shredded gift wrap and noise of movies and video games and toys, but for now I am enjoying the quiet all to myself.
I haven't been much in the Christmas mood this year. Even though I have kind of isolated myself from the crush of commercialism in our world, I still felt that this time of year just doesn't mean much to most people other than the giving and the getting. And while there is something to be said about 'more blessed to give than receive', it is still missing the point.
I'm going to get a little religion on here, hope you don't mind.
Jesus was born in a tiny town near Jerusalem. Whether it was winter or summer or whether early Christians made up the holiday and stole the date from other celebrations - none of that really matters. What matter is, it happened. And whether you believe He was born of a virgin and was killed on a cross and rose from the dead, you cannot argue that He changed the world. In spite of all the hate and wrong and ugliness that has been done (and continues to be done) in His name, His simple message of love, peace, and forgiveness still survives.
I often wish everyone that believed in Him - or at least claimed to believe in Him - focused on the things He actually said instead of assuming what He wants us to think about issues such as abortion and education and homosexuality. What would happen if all Christians everywhere started picketing at funerals in their area, not with signs that say "God hates fags", but rather with signs that said "I'm so sorry" or "We love you" or "We brought a ham, can we leave it with you?"
Jesus didn't come roaring into town with avenging angels to strike down the "perverts" and false teachers. His birth was about as humble as you can get. The modern equivalent might be being born in a taxi while stuck in a traffic jam on the freeway. No doctors or nurses, just noise and car exhaust, and a lowly taxi. His whole life was like that. Below the radar. Simple. Some have criticized that 'secular' historians of the time, in that place, don't mention Jesus at all. Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but if it is it doesn't surprise me. A simple man with a simple message at a time of military occupation in a mostly rural area. But that message resonates throughout the millenia.
Why aren't we doing the same? Why aren't we practicing the example of the manger? Of coming quietly, gently with a message of love and simplicity? Why do we have to be in the faces of those we disagree with, even though Jesus never actually said what we claim he said? Why do we insist on being right instead of being helpful. Which is better? To campaign for a candidate that claims he will end abortion, or to open the doors to a food pantry in your church and give to those in need? To write your legislators and insist he or she not support same-sex marriage, or to make friends with someone who is struggling with physical pain and illness and offer to babysit or drive them to the doctor?
What would happen if we started saying "God loves you, let me show you how much" instead of "God hates that, you can't have it"? What if we came as quietly as Jesus did in the manger, instead of acting like Nazis going into Poland? (A little harsh? Maybe, but it makes my point).
The kids are waking up now. The sun is peaking through the window. It will be time to delve into the chaos.
Anyway. I hope you have a Merry Christmas, and thank you for letting me rant.
