Christmas movies, office parties, and family dinners, the opportunities to celebrate are not lacking! Do you sigh under the mistletoe? There is a very simple solution to stay festive in the coming days … and it has nothing to do with alcohol!
As children of God, we have the privilege of having access to the perfect joy that has nothing to do with our circumstances. It is not a feeling, it is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). This joy does not depend on our emotional state or our lack of disappointments. It makes us become an example, a light in the darkness (Matthew 5:14). We do not need to be in a relationship to be happy during the holidays.
If that is not enough of a reason to look happy, you can also find a reason to rejoice by simply changing your point of view.
In our society of consumption and comfort, it is easy to only satisfy our own desires during this period. All the commercials tell us about spoiling our loved ones and of course, spoiling ourselves too. All these indulgences are there to bring us pleasure. Yet this message has nothing to do with the real reason for our celebration.
Christmas is the time of year when we celebrate the birthday of our Savior. It’s His birthday! So, let’s take a few minutes to compare His party to ours.
How would you feel if, on your birthday, your guests were just criticizing the decorations and complaining about not having found the perfect outfit to come to your party? Or what would you say if all your guests were talking to each other, feasting and completely ignoring you, the birthday boy? Or, what would you do if one of the guests started weeping because she had not received the gift she wanted during your birthday party?
When we celebrate, we want our guests to be happy to see us, to love us and celebrate us. Even if their lives are not perfect, we expect them to put their own desires aside and rejoice with us. After all, it’s our party, it’s our special day, the day we’re the center of attention.
So, even if we do not have everything we would like to have, even if we would like to be in a relationship or have a rewarding job, let’s put all that aside and choose to turn our attention towards the birthday boy: Jesus! This holiday season has nothing to do with us! We are not the one being celebrated! Let’s choose to be the perfect guest on His birthday. The kind of person who showcases the birthday boy, who takes care of His needs, who illuminates the evening with their good mood. We are not abandoning our needs or our dreams; but for a day, we live to make Jesus happy and to honor Him with all that we are.
Happy birthday Jesus!
“Today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2.11 NASB)