In December this question tends to mean, Have you purchased all your gifts yet? The world gives much thought to marketing the Christmas season. The goal is not to promote Jesus or a relationship with Him—but to sell products.
Our family definitely enjoys the atmosphere of celebration in December. We decorate our home, listen to Christmas music, bake goodies, shop for gifts, and plan social gatherings.
Are any of these things bad?? Nope. I like decorating, baking WHILE listening to Christmas music, buying gifts, going to Christmas parties and hosting them!
“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.” (John 1.6-8)
Here’s the challenge: What or Who are we bearing witness about this month?
I think it can be quite a wrestling match of the heart and mind, especially if we have children at home. We want to provide special memories for them AND we are easily drawn in by the broadly defined and impressively sculpted “holiday season”.
We are witnesses of the Light. With all the focus on celebration this month, we have an amazing opportunity to focus our children toward the greatest celebration – that God gave us Jesus the Christ! “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3.16-17)
For young children, there are Christmas books, Cd’s and videos to help us share about Jesus. When our kids were little, I created a Christmas devotional calendar. (Your church or a local Christian bookstore may have one.) If you go to the beginning of each gospel, there are verses about the birth of Jesus. I divided these up and we read a few each night. Then we talked about them briefly and ended with a prayer…
As the kids got older, they’d roll their eyes, confident that “no other family does this but us”. Was it draining sometimes? Did I consider giving in and giving up? Did I ever wonder if we were making an impression during a month in which “everything secular” about Christmas seems so much more fun? Absolutely.
It’s not a competition. It’s a responsibility. Are we our child’s primary witness? As believers in Jesus the Christ, we have His light in us. Is it exposed? Do our children see it in us? Do they see how important He is to us? God will take care of the rest.
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