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Greetings,

I was reading an interesting article entitled The War on Christmas.

The article mentioned that this year will be no different than last year. The battle lines have been drawn. It will be played out in shopping malls, post offices, school concerts, and public buildings.

The War on Christmas will call for the removal of nativity scenes from public property. It will call for consumer boycotts on stores refusing to mention Christmas in their advertising circulars. President Bush will be criticized again because he will send out greeting cards saying, “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” Store clerks will be chewed out by some zealous merchants because they wished someone “Happy Holiday” instead of “Merry Christmas.” I am all for wishing someone Merry Christmas but I am not going to declare war on the person who wishes me a Happy Holiday. Truth is whatever greeting they offer they are going to get someone’s wrath.

You have to wonder what the Prince of Peace would say about the “War on Christmas.” What Jesus would say about the battle cry, “Jesus is the reason for the season.”

News correspondent Matthew Davis raised some good questions in an editorial he wrote last year.

“Is Jesus really the reason for people to engage in an orgy of rampant spending? Is Jesus really the reason many people will experience crushing debt trying to make sure their “list” is materially satisfied with gifts they want? Is Jesus really the reason tempers flare in mall parking lots and store clerks become punching bags for impatient people?” Might I add, is Jesus really the reason people camped out for the latest video game and the reason people were shot? “Is Jesus the reason we fight over placement of religious symbols? Is Jesus the reason that more people become depressed and lonely at this time of year than any other?
Is Jesus really the reason for any of the stuff that Christmas has become?”

I wonder would Jesus embrace all this?

I doubt it. If you gave Jesus a choice, I think he would want out of Christmas. Put yourself in Jesus’ place for a moment. What would be your first concern: to be put back into Christmas or to be put in the hearts, the minds and the lives of each person who celebrates His birth?

This Christmas let us make putting Jesus into our hearts, minds and lives a priority. Maybe then our lives, our families, our community and our world would look like they are supposed to because of Jesus’ birth. Maybe then the world would be filled with peace and goodwill .

May you have a blessed Christmas!

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