Thank Jesus for Our Q4 Sales

Forgive me for my perennial soapbox session where I attempt to explain that Jesus' birth in Bethlehem might actually not have been God's personal economic stimulus plan but rather something quite the opposite. You have heard me say it before but it bears repeating that we are missing the point of Christmas.

The night the Angels appeared to the unclean and unwanted shepherds to declare, "The Son of God is here" marked the beginning of Jesus' mission to stand against oppressive powers, to bring hope and equality to the poor and marginalized, and to proclaim,  "peacemakers are blessed". The advent of Jesus meant  the ways of the rich and powerful would be challenged by the teachings of the Messiah who was born in the most unlikely of circumstances. This challenge would even  pierce the souls of the religious elite who apparently found company in the leadership styles of their secular counterparts. 

Statistics show that Americans spend somewhere around 450 billion dollars each year during the Holidays. Businesses and even churches count on our cultural celebration of Jesus to help finish the fiscal year with a boom. I think buying presents and enjoying the fun elements of the season is perfectly acceptable and something to look forward to each year but perhaps Christians should lead the way in toning it down a bit.

When our preparations for Christmas are reduced to purchasing "enough" gifts for everyone and making sure our calendars are packed full of Christmas cheer we will likely walk right past the low income family who laid their newborn baby in the feeding trough of a cow. We will forget God's great advertisement for the season was a host of Angels declaring a Messiah has arrived and He will save you from your need to perform and be great in the eyes of God and man. 

Diana Butler Bass said it this way, "Jesus Christ was not born that human beings would spend December shopping or saying, "Merry Christmas." Jesus was born to confront the rulers of this world with the love and justice of the God of Abraham -- that Jesus, the same Jesus who preached  the poor and marginalized were blessed, is the King of kings and Lord of lords. All earthly powers pale before him, the humble born one who will die a political traitor to Rome."

So put that extra tin of flavored popcorn back on the shelf (Aunt Myrtle will be fine without it) , drop an extra dollar in the bucket of your local Salvation Army, and remember this Q4 is not about record profits. It is about God's presence that changed the life of a despised group of shepherds and that can change the life of you and me.