My kids always joke around when Christmas is around the bend. Within a month, we see the Halloween decorations come down, fall festivities stay up, and Christmas trinkets pop up overnight! At least in the United States, people are REALLY into their yard stuff. And as that time of year comes around, there's typically an anticipation of presents, but also sort of a tug-of-war between consumerism and higher ideals, like community and faith.
Many are fine with the vast onslaught of marketing and sales, however some would agree and acknowledge, it's not necessarily suppose to be about the presents, the reason for the season (Christmas in this case) is - Christ's birth. In the nativity scene, we read that ultimately Christ's birth, life, death, and resurrection was a gift. For all those reasons why things aren't right in the world, and all those reasons why we can't always get things right in our own lives, it was about Christ making a way for humanity to connect with God. The burden wasn't on people to earn it, like so many things in life. It was a free gift that just requires an open heart.
The burden wasn't on people to earn it, like so many things in life. It was a free gift that just requires an open heart.
Yes, the rest of this post is going to be somewhat faith oriented (or religious sounding), but it's also going to be about innovation in the here and now, and not just for Christmas, but also for other Holidays. Consider it an "Evergreen" Holiday post.
So here's a question about this free gift, what does it mean for you in the here and now? We've all got decisions to make, places to be, bills to pay, problems to solve. The question with Christmas could also be not just about presents, but will something bigger than you (God), innovate with you, in the here and now? What if innovation wasn't just up to you? In the Gospels, and the book of Matthew, we read this.. “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us." - Matthew 1:23
Consider an example with Peter in the Gospels. Peter was a fisherman, he hauled fish for a living.. but found himself, for some reason, at a loss as to why he couldn't haul in what he needed. In the Story, Jesus interrupts Peter, and gives him a clue, and a sign that if he walked with Jesus, he wasn't alone to carry the burden. Read more from the Wikipedia link, and check out the Bonus at the end of this article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miraculous_catch_of_fish
What would it look like to experience "God is with you"? Consider Christmas (and other holidays) not about consumerism, long lines, and busy obligatory parties. See it as an opportunity to bless others with some innovation.
If you could experience God innovating with you, would it fundamentally change how you lived your life? Take the print out, or just sketch it in your journal (sketch book) - and let it be ok that this is sketchy, enjoy it! So many people listen to the voice of the inner critic, what if you let that go as a gift to yourself, and just tried this out? You don't have to "get it all right", consider sketchy faith to be ok for now.
Also: Check out the episode from The Chosen below, it's a unique take on one of the passages in this article.
