The Commercialism of Christmas, Bah humbug!

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, store wide sales it never ceases does it? Buy, buy, buy those gifts and decorations. From one point on view, it seems crazy to:

·         Buy a dead tree to store in your house for a few weeks to throw away or burn just a short time later. Why not just light the cash on fire!

·         Hang lights from the roof edge increasing your electric bill only to burn out whereby you risk your very life to find that one lone broken bulb or strand to replace it.

·         Watch TV shows where the goal is to decorate every square inch of a property so that the glow can be seen from space.

Call me crazy because the above are exactly what I have done plus more time spent trying to program a timer for the outside lights.

As I was walking this very morning I was thinking about the lights and decorations (they were on of course, timer). Why do we go to all of that trouble and is that “commercialization” on my part? Sure, I am buying things on sale and for the season commerce for sure, new “Icicle” lights for the front of the house (Barbara posted a video on Facebook). When Barbara gets done inside we say “Christmas threw-up” at our house. We give her a hard time but we love it although we would never say it out loud. Why do we love it?

I think the answer is decorations are unusual set the familiar apart. They say now is a different time of year. It is special, unique. Scripture tells us all things in moderation and these homes that can be seen from space due to the glow, you know the ones that get thank you cards from Georgia Power, THET are NOT moderation. Lights and decorations are symbols that should point us to the Savior who is Christ the Lord. It is a celebration of life and light for all men, Christmas is. Due to our fallen nature we get that sideways and miss the target. Choosing to see what is right in front of us instead of what is at the center in the manger Immanuel Jesus.

I’ve got to go there is this one strand of lights that just won’t…STOP…step away from the ladder. It’ll be alright. Maybe I’ll go and clean up the boxes and wire ties, put them up for a while and sit and enjoy the light. This Christmas season take a lot of time to enjoy the light.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. ⁴ Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. ⁵ That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it. John 1:1-5 HCSB     

In HIS Service and yours,

Bro G 
                   merry christmas