As I rummaged through the box, I was quickly reminded something I had forgotten since I put things away the previous year. In my frustration, I threw out several strands of lights when I took the decorations down after Christmas. I would not be able to take advantage of the warm and sunny Thanksgiving afternoon to finish decorating my shrubs.
I went back inside to squeeze in a board game with my family before getting started on the noodles and mashed potatoes for our big gathering that evening. I would have to watch my time because all the dishes would have to be hand-washed. It was earlier that morning that the water dripping from the basement ceiling brought to our attention that the seal on the dishwasher had broken. Sigh.
That is how I found myself at the store on a Black Friday. It wasn’t to find the deals. I had done that one year, and one year only. It was one of the scariest times of my life, and I decided at that time, that there was no deal worth the crowd, rudeness and chaos that I had encountered. I vowed to never again set foot in a store the day after Thanksgiving.
No. Rather than venturing out to catch the sales, I found myself shopping on a Black Friday because we needed to fix the seal on the dishwasher, and I wanted to finish the lights outside before it got too cold again. At least it was late afternoon by the time we arrived. However, the store was still pretty busy.
My husband and I parted ways once inside. We had just returned to town after a 6-hour trip of driving our son and daughter-in-law to the airport and meeting another son for lunch at the half-way point. We were both physically and mentally exhausted, and I knew that I had better find what I needed quickly because my husband would not want to be in there long.
I was maneuvering my way through the crowded section of Christmas decorations and trying my best to hurry and not get distracted by all the things I didn’t need. Suddenly, above all the chatter of nearby shoppers and the Christmas music playing in the background, I heard a sweet little voice, “I want to see Jesus.” The voice that had grabbed my attention got louder, “Daddy! I just want to go see Jesus! Daddy, please!”
I peered across the Christmas light section and into the display of trees. There I saw a little boy standing in the back of a shopping cart and pointing towards a nativity set nestled among the Christmas trees and fluffy artificial snow.
His dad was not amused with the interruption; he didn’t seem to be enjoying his time looking through all trees with his wife and trying to decide which one to purchase. He finally gave in to his son’s persistence and pushed the cart over to Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus while muttering something not quite holy in his exasperation.
Oh, to always have the heart of that little boy who was searching through the crowd and through the forest of trees just trying to get a glimpse at Jesus. We get distracted by our long shopping and to do lists, the sea of bleary-eyed shoppers, mounds of packages to wrap and overloaded schedules. We can get so busy during the holiday season that we forget the true reason we are celebrating Christmas in the first place.
Just like that little boy in the shopping cart, we must fight to keep our focus on the beautiful face of Jesus. We can’t let the trees, the lights, the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the cleaning, the programs and parties block our view of the One who was born to save us.
Our Christmas traditions that have developed since the birth of Jesus can be ways for us to express His love to others. The lights remind us of the Light that dispelled the darkness of the world. Christmas programs and parties can be ways to celebrate Jesus’ birth, and we can give to others because of the love of Christ that rules in our hearts. We just need to make sure that in the busyness of our Christmas preparations and festivities, we don’t lose sight of the fact that we are doing these things as a way to bring glory to Jesus, Greatest Gift of all.
Life is going to start getting really busy for many of us as we head into the Christmas season. Let’s remember the example of the sweet little boy in the shopping cart and start each morning by crying out to our Daddy in heaven, “Daddy, I want to see Jesus! Help me to see Him through the trees, through the crowded stores and through my never-ending to do list today. Let me not lose sight of the reason we celebrate Christmas. Let me unwrap the gift of each new day You bless me with. Help me to find a way to tell those around me the good news that the angel proclaimed long ago when in the town of David a Savior had been born (Luke 2). Compel me share with others the message that ‘God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16). Enable me be bold to proclaim that ‘If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved’ (Romans 10:9). Prepare the hearts of those around me to respond to your invitation as so many did when Peter urged, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’ (Acts 2:38). Give me opportunities to share your love and truth to others so that they too can find salvation, hope and peace in Him. Let me not take for granted the sacrifice that Jesus made for me when He surrendered His life to your will, but help me also to surrender my own life to You.”
