It's (still) better to give than receive (short home video)

My son Matthew had his first American Christmas recently.  His reaction to receiving gifts warmed our hearts.  As great as his joy was, ours was greater still, reminding me of the words of Jesus (quoted in Acts 20:35) that it's better to give than receive.  Here is a captured moment from our Christmas celebration.

Finally understanding the incarnation

I’m not sure where I heard this story years ago, but it helpsthe way I think about the incarnation—that God the Son would enter the world asa lowly human—that he would humble himself like this.

A man’s family left him at home as they travelled to churchon a snowy Christmas morning.  He did notbelieve in church.  He did not believe inChristmas.  He did not understand why Godwould send his son into the world to live and to die, and to beresurrected. 

The snow was coming down harder and harder.  The man looked out the window and noticedsome baby birds having trouble in it.  Hewas afraid they would die as the snow came down in sheets.  The man put on his winter coat, hat, gloves,boots and went outside to help the little birds.  First he tried shooing them into the barn,where it was warm and dry.  But everytime he came near to them, they would flutter away and get deeper into thesnow.  Then he tried laying down somebird seed in a pathway to the barn, hoping that they would follow thetrail.  They would have none of it.  Then he tried getting close enough to thebirds to catch them and carry them, but again, the birds were more terrified ofhim than they were of the snowstorm. 

The man was moved with compassion as he realized that thebirds were going to die.  He foundhimself wiping tears from his eyes.  Andas he did a thought flashed though his mind. “If only I could become a little bird! Then I could lead them into the warmth and safety of the barn.  Surely they would follow me then.  Then I could rescue them!”  And just as the man came to this conclusion,he heard the church bell ring in the distance. 

And that’s when it hit him. He finally understood what the incarnation was all about. 

Merry Christmas!

What do you tell your kids about Santa Claus?

There seems to be only two schools of thought about discussingSanta Claus with our children.  Either weperpetuate the myth that he is the giver of the gifts and the centerpiece of Christmastime, or we crush their innocentchildhood dreams by saying that he is made up. The problem is, once they find out that he really IS made up, they maybe unsure what else we have told them is made up.  (Is Jesus a made up character too?)  Plus if you are a Christ-follower, you have the added dilemma that Santa may subversively become the central character of Christmasrather than Jesus.

I believe that a third way is in order, and it seems to havebeen effective with my own children. This third way seeks to embrace the fun and “magic” of the spirit ofChristmas and Santa Clause, but does not take away from the centrality of Jesusor inadvertently lie to our kids.  Thisthird way simply allows them to believe that Santa is a fun character aroundthe Christmas story.  He is made up, of course, justlike the cartoons they watch are made up. But it is not that he doesn’t exist at all.  He is a fun addition to the Christmastradition similar to the Christmas tree or eggnog (though I must admit myabsolute disdain for eggnog…oh, and setting up Christmas trees).  Kids imaginations at early ages are allowedto run free with thoughts of Santa and reindeer the way they might fantasizeabout other fictional characters. 

The difference is, at no point did we ever tell our kidsthat Santa is a real person, or that he is the originator of the gifts, or sendthem the wrong message that he is the centerpiece of Christmas.  Because he isn’t.  Jesus is. And this same precious baby Jesus that was born on Christmas day is thesame Lord of all who died on the cross and also rose again from the dead torescue his people from sin and death.  Heis the Son of God, the Resurrection, the Way, the Truth, The Life, the Deliverer.  He is the reason for the season.  

In fact, he is the reason for…everything.

Holidays

My kids are making Christmas lists.  Oh yes they are.  And they want really big things…things thatcost a lot of money.  So I told them allto get a job. 

Our adopted son Matthew has only lived in the country forabout 9 weeks.  But he already knows whatChristmas is all about. 

Presents. 

That’s right I said it. 

We all know that Christmas is not about presents.  It’s about the birth of Jesus.  It’s about the incarnational message of hopethat came to earth some 2,000 years ago, born of a virgin, born in amanger.  It’s about the love of God shownthrough the sending of his son…sent on a mission.  He was sent to die for us and also to breakthe power of sin and death.  Andthanksgiving is a great time to prepare our hearts for that season, to reallybe thankful for all that God has given us.

Or then again, maybe it’s just about buying stuff.