Jesus Is Lord

Thanksgiving is over now and the mad-dashing populace has done its first seasonal promotion called “Black Friday”. Some malls and plazas were starting at midnight in Pennsylvania and my daughter-in-laws went out at 5 am to get the special buys offered here in Arizona to the early birds.

Our news reporters showed fist-fights breaking out in the entry ways of the local malls when the doors were first opened. A man was hitting a woman to be the first in line at the door. Christmas spirit… yeah…. right.

Is it really Jesus’ birthday?

Some people think we have misread history, and that Jesus was really born sometime in July.  What a holiday season if Independence Day and Christmas were in the same month.

Just think of the commercial potential!  If Christmas was in the middle of the year, what would that do to our economy? We probably would not have a “fourth quarter” dominated system and our year would be potentially more balanced.

Jesus’ birthday would then not be thought of as the last holiday in the year… either. Maybe we could “up” His historical significance a little while we are at it. For now, we have to deal with Christmas in December, and all the helter-skelter activity that is necessary to “celebrate”.

If it is Jesus’ birthday then what present are we giving Him this year? Are we doing anything special for Him at all? How many presents will be under the tree for Him? On the other hand if there are no presents under the tree for Him are we doing anything for anyone that would make Jesus happy?

The Bible says what we should do all through the year, not just at Christmas time, in the Book of James.

James 1:27-2:1 KJV

27 Pure religion, and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

Something Like this…

One day I was creating something beautiful out of leather for my in-laws. They were his/her billfolds made out of leather that I had hand carved myself and they turned out wonderfully.

I was trying to do an outstanding job with my leather-carving ability. I must say they were excellent and I used them to advertise to another customer who bought five of the same kind.

They opened the presents and said they were nice. Then hurriedly went on to the next present which was a hair dryer. My gift was not mentioned. They spent a lengthy time telling us all how much they needed the dryer.

I was heart broken…and I have never given a present to anyone since.

However, now I spend my time doing other things like taking wives and children of prisoners to see them and I am always thanked with great appreciation. It took a negative experience to wake me up.

Give something to Jesus this season…you will be glad you did!