We often think that Christmas time is different from any other time in the year and that we see the genuine “warm heart” of the community at this time. There’s a measure of truth in that. Christmas is different and does call out attitudes that lie hidden for the rest of the year. Perhaps it even creates those attitudes.
Yet in other ways the Christmas magic that people seek is a bit of an illusion. At Christmas we express what we are within, in spite of the veneer of human kindness that is appropriate to the season.
There are three questions many people ask at Christmas time. Children often ask one another, “What are you getting for Christmas?” We try to make it all good by teaching that Christmas is giving time. But there is this deeply-entrenched expectation of getting and we sometimes begrudge the season because we wonder whether our bank balances can really stand the getting expectation. Of course, we have very commendable appeals – toy appeals, Christmas Bowl, TEAR Fund… They salve our conscience – we should dig even deeper and give to others outside our family circle.
We need to have a spirit of generous giving. Especially, the “haves” need to be giving to children and families who “have not”. Yet somehow the getting expectation is so much part of our social fabric. “What’s in it for me?” is our basic concern – in economic terms, in relationships, whatever…
A second question is “What are you doing for Christmas?” Christmas is a holiday season. Schools are in recess. Businesses close down. Only essential services like electricity supply, police, nursing staff… will be on duty. Everyone else is expecting — and planning — to be doing something different from the normal routines of employment. Please spare a thought — and a prayer — for the people who have to work over Christmas. Sometimes in the course of conversation we may ask someone, “What are you doing over Christmas?” and they reply, “Oh, I can’t do anything this year. I have to go to work!” And doesn’t that express what we all tend to feel? Our work isn’t really “doing” anything. It isn’t significant. It isn’t an integral part of what life is all about. A job has to be endured to earn the money for some real life!
A number of years ago I was talking to a nurse who was to be on duty on Christmas Day. Hospitals try to send as many patients home for Christmas as possible — and it is a time of year when no one really wants to work (whatever we think about penalty rates, they deserve it on Christmas Day!). She was a Christian and decided to take her guitar along and sing carols to the patients.
So much of our doing doesn’t reach beyond ourselves at all. The “doing” of our life is totally selfish. Sadly, Christmas can be one of the times when we exhibit our selfishness.
A third question is “Where are you going this Christmas?” Whenever possible,
we have looked to get together with family. That’s what Russ and Liz are doing
this year and we have come here to Mareeba. What about you? Hopefully our
response reflects our commitment to home and family. It is a positive good that
so many families endeavour to get together at Christmas time. It is a sad fact,
however, that Christmas is also a time for family arguments and domestic
violence. There are those in the community who really dread the coming of
Christmas. This season ought to be a time when we evaluate the direction of our
life. Too often in
We can only imagine the time Elizabeth and Mary spent together. These two women — the one having conceived when well past childbearing years, the other having conceived as a virgin.
We have no idea, by the way, just how old Elizabeth and her husband were. The New International Version describes them as being “well along in years”. They might have been in their late fifties or sixties — beyond the time when a childless couple would expect to have a baby, yet not so old that they might not survive to rear the child.
They weren’t thinking about out three Christmas questions. “What will you get…?” Well, both of them knew their child would be a boy. No ultrasonics in those days, of course! The angel Gabriel himself had brought that bit of information! But their attitude was not getting, grasping, anyway. For each of them, there would be a load as well as a joy in the bearing of their child. They were giving of themselves, and their gracious Lord was able to give to them – and to the world – through their availability for his will.
Listen to
Yet that wasn’t Mary’s attitude at all. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, for
he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” In no sense was
she accepting
What is happening to me, she is saying, simply demonstrates again God’s character towards anyone who trusts him – “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.” What was happening to Mary was absolutely unique – to bear the Son of God. But the principle of divine favour towards Mary is the same as God’s favour towards us who believe.
God’s favouritism is so very different from ours. The Bible says many times that God has no favourites. So we don’t have status with God and we can’t buy status with God. But he does show mercy to those who honour him.
In God’s way of dealing with people, there are some surprising reverses. The proud with all inmost thoughts are scattered. Rulers are brought down. The rich are sent away empty. The humble are lifted up. The hungry are filled with good things.
There is an idea abroad – a whole system called Liberation Theology – which takes passages such as this and says that God has a preference for the poor. But that idea isn’t really supported here or elsewhere. It misses the whole point. God has no favourites. Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt.5.3). Rich and poor alike are called to repent and believe the gospel.
God is no respecter of persons. He has no favourites. But he does choose people for particular tasks. He chose Abraham and his descendants to be the channel through which he would reveal himself and his purposes to the world. He chose the prophets to speak his message. He chose Mary to be the human mother of his own Son.
“He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers” Mary’s words here refer specifically to Israel, the descendants of Abraham, as the ones who had received the promises. Those promises had a wider scope – for he would be a light to the Gentiles., indeed to all who would believe in his name, Jew and Gentile alike. The descendants of Abraham had received the promises and were waiting for the light to be revealed. Though centuries have passed, God hasn’t forgotten! He has kept his promise!
“Mary stayed with
So – what was she doing…? and where was she going…? She didn’t have those questions. All were bound up in her initial commitment to be the humble servant of the Lord. Pregnancy can change a lot of plans and goals. It’s a commitment that can cut right across some of the other things that seemed important to us…
So what about us — and our Christmas?
The key question isn’t what we are getting or what we are doing or where we are going – but whether we humble ourselves before God and believe in Jesus Christ his Son whom he sent to be our Saviour. That will help answer what we need to be doing or where we need to be going.
The key question isn’t our status in the community (or the status of our bank balance) – but whether we know the love and mercy of God. And that is available to us all in Jesus.
Christmas is an event that is special and different from any other time of the year. But the rest of the year will be different when we have grasped what is it all about. It isn’t about a cute story, but about dealing with our human brokenness and sin. It isn’t about a spark of light in the midst of bleak news, but about the coming of the Light of the world! Draw back the curtains and let the light shine in!
© Peter J. Blackburn, Mareeba, 21
December 2008
Except where otherwise noted, Scripture
quotations are from the New International Version, © International Bible
Society, 1984.
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