"The Meaning of Christmas"

The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ and the act of love for our fellow man. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not parish but have eternal life." John 3:16-17. Christmas is a joyous time! It is a time of giving. It is a time of fellowship and devotion.

It is sad that Christmas is more a commercial enterprise than a religious observance. For most people, Jesus isn’t the reason for the season, buying and receiving consumer goods is.

Every year we have a mad rush to get to the stores first to buy whatever hot items are on sale. I believe it was last year when an employee at a Wal-Mart died and a woman miscarried when the doors to the store opened. The man that died was trampled when hundreds of shoppers smashed through the doors in a mad rush. You hear about fights breaking out in parking lots when someone took a spot that another was waiting for. People are known to fight for a popular gift if it's the last item on the shelf. Tempers flare as people prepare for Christmas, but yet the true meaning of Christmas should be about loving our fellow man--not hurting them. Christmas is not the time for impressing people. It is not the time to buy the hottest items. It is not the time to run someone over to get to the item before they do or steal it out of their hands just because you are stronger. This is the time to reflect on your life, to honor Jesus for whom this holiday was named.

Why don't we sit back, relax and find out what Christmas should mean to us. According to the Bible, the first Christmas angel appeared to Mary and told her that she would have a son called Jesus. Joseph was also visited by a Christmas angel who told him what his role in this world-changing event would be. When the Child was born, angels sang, a bright star lit up the eastern sky, and shepherds followed that star and came to see baby Jesus. They gave Him valuable and precious gifts to honor a king. Why would they do this? Because the Child was to be our Savior, Jesus the Christ. We have lost track of the most precious reason for this season. Perhaps this year we could stop and remember why we are actually celebrating Christmas. For just one precious bit of time, maybe we could take the time to thank the Lord for what He has done for us because it really is HIS birthday. Just one brief moment to tell Him we love Him since the season is all about LOVE and PEACE.

Have you ever wondered what the differences you made during your life are and how many lives you have touched? Perhaps if we think about this, at least during Christmas, we would all become better human beings and we would remember the reason for the season and carry it through the year.

Share your love with others and remember the reason for celebrating Christmas. Give thanks for the birth of Christ our Lord and love your fellow man. May the spirit of Christmas be in your heart and soul and carry you through any adversities that are in your life. Happy Birthday Jesus and Merry Christmas my readers, friends and family - I love you one and all!