Hear, Say, Do....

I have noticed recently, a tendency which we all seem to have to some degree, to hear something explained to us, repeat that something in a slightly different way and then act on that something in a different way again.  Let me explain.....

An immediately obvious example of this is love.  We hear it said that we should love everyone!  Jesus taught it, it is taught from the pulpit of churches today and you even hear it said in other places too.

Let all that you do be done in Love.  1 Corinthians 16:14

So we are taught to love others.  Then when it comes to us talking about loving people, there seems to be a hesitation and at times a refusal to love certain people.  "I love people but I definitely couldn't love so and so...."  You hear it said all the time don't you.  How can you love terrorists, or murderers?  How can you love cheats and liars?  How can you love people who disagree with you or fight against your beliefs?  When we talk about love however, there is a generally sense that we do love people, even if it is just the our nearest and dearest and perhaps even anyone who hasn't 'wronged' us yet!

But then we look at the way we act.  Does the way in which we act towards people show love?  Does losing our temper with or refusing to listen to the people closest to us show love?  Does getting ratty with the people walking really slowly down the high street that we are stuck behind show love?  Does getting cross because the car in front of us is in our way show love?  Does crossing over to the other side of the road when we see people we don't like the look of show love?

On the whole, in today's society there is a generally sense that everyone just puts themselves first.  I think this, I want to do that, I want to be there, I should be first....  We know we should love others, we say we love some people, we act in a way which only shows love for ourselves.

Other examples include forgiveness-  We are taught to 'forgive others as Christ have forgiven us.'  We say that we forgive people, except if they have done something really bad or they have specifically wronged us or one of our family.  Then we often treat people as if we haven't forgiven them, we hold grudges or are 'off' with people.  Often this is something which works out over time, but is this because we have forgotten the hurt or have we actually forgiven them?

But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will the Father forgive your trespasses.  Matthew 6:15

Faith-  We are taught to have absolute faith in Jesus, no questions asked.  Then we talk to people about our faith and it is often not overly convincing....  Do we have total faith, without a shadow of a doubt?  How about the way we act, when we are getting cross about our life not going where we want it to go or looking how we want it to look?  When bad stuff happens, when people get ill.  How do we show total and unwavering faith through whatever life throws in our direction?

Then we think about Christmas.  We celebrate Christmas because of Jesus.  Because Jesus was born to be our Saviour.  This is what we are taught, this is what we believe.  And then we talk about Christmas, and we talk about what presents we want and what food we want and when we are going to do all the things that we want to do.  When are we putting our tree up, do we have our advent calendars.....

For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

Then it gets to Christmas- a day which is all about getting presents, giving presents, eating as much as we can and probably drinking a fair bit too.  Do we go out to church in the morning?  Do we have time?  How long will the service be?  What time will I get home for my lunch?  What about my family, they wont want to go to church....

We need to become more like the people we know we should be, more like the people we are taught to be and we need to talk in a way and act in a way which represents this to all those around us.

Tis the Season

Last time I posted I talked about focusing on what is important.  This is something which has very much been on my mind over the last few weeks, it is all to easy to get swept away with 'life' isn't it.  Society around you, tv and media, other people, yourself...  All these things can get in the way of what this life on earth is really all about, if we let them.

Tomorrow afternoon I am taking my last assembly in school before the Christmas break and the message which I really want to get over to the children is to focus on exactly what Christmas is all about.

Look around you, do you see what Christmas is all about?  You see trees and decorations, you see advent calendars and stockings.  The shops are full of food and alcohol, not to mention all the Christmas gifts which have taken over the shelves.  Children are getting dressed up for their school performances, others are waiting in anticipation for the Christmas TV guide to hit the shelves.

We're planning what we are going to eat, what we are going to watch, who we are going to see and what we are going to give them.  We are hoping that we are going to be given the things that we have asked for, or have hinted towards!  Christmas jumpers and hats are back in fashion and the Christmas DVD collection has been retrieved from the attic.  Have you seen Father Christmas yet, or booked your pantomime tickets?  Are you planning on going carol singing or are you thinking about locking the front door and turning the hallway lights off, just in case any carol singers are heading your way?

In the assembly which I am leading tomorrow, I am going to start off with the baby Jesus in his crib.  Then I am going to call up some children to represent Mary and Joseph, the Wise Men, the Shepherds.  Perhaps I will have some animals represented and will bring along a tree and some decorations.  Maybe we will throw some food in there and a pile of presents.  Then we'll get other children up to represent family and friends and some carol singers too.  Other things may be thrown into the mix as well, depending on what I think of at the time.

The point is, that with all of these people and things up the front, there is no chance you will be able to see Jesus in amongst it all.  A true representation perhaps, of how we treat Christmas today.  Where is the real reason we are celebrating this time of year- in fact, the only reason that we have this celebration at this time of year.  How high up on your list of festive priorities is Jesus?

It struck me, as a parent, that Christmas is a bit like watching everyone else celebrate your child's birthday, giving little, if any consideration to who your child actually is, who's birthday it actually is.

Strip all of this away, or at least tone it down a little and right at the heart of everything that's going on is Jesus, the Son of God.  A gift, for everyone.  A gift that can bring you peace and comfort, joy and blessing, a gift that can healing, the only gift that can bring you eternal life.

Just spare a thought, as you rush around to get ready for this Christmas time, for the actual reason why all of this is happening.  None of this stuff that we all get wrapped up in (excuse the pun) at Christmas time is bad but don't let it get in the way of what it is really about.