What Christmas Is Really About

*This was first published November 7, 2011

If I am being truthful, Christmas is not my favorite holiday. In fact, it's probably my least favorite. For a number of years, I struggled with depression during the holidays. One year, I even took the decorations back down before Christmas Day actually arrived.

The great stress of attending parties and buying gifts, the whole commercialization of it gets to me at some point, and I begin to identify with Charlie Brown. "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?"

Yet every year, God reaches down to give me one moment that reminds me of the true purpose of Christmas. I like to think of this moment as God's little surprise because I never know when it will come or from where. It could be a Christmas play, a television program, a song I hear sung. Whatever it is, it always comes. Often, it is from something inconsequential. Nevertheless, it reaches right in and touches my heart.

Last evening, I watched "A Muppet Christmas Carol" from 1992. It's a cutesy rendition of the familiar tale of Old Ebenezer Scrooge starring actor Michael Caine and a slew of recognizable Muppet characters. In this version, Scrooge's assistant, Bob Cratchit, is played by none other than Kermit the Frog. Tiny Tim is Kermit's son, one of four children of he and Ms. Piggy.

["Okay," you say, "Where ARE you going with this?" Just hang in here!]

Forget the fact that a frog and a pig having both pig children and frog children threw me for a loop. It was during a scene where Old Scrooge is viewing Christmas Present; Bob Cratchit's family is gathered around their meager table; that I had my moment for this year. Bob Cratchit talks to his wife about Tiny Tim's behavior at the church service and then he makes the following statement, "...that we might remember the One who made the lame to walk and the blind to see."

I'm telling you I almost leaped off the couch. There before me, in the form of a silly children's movie, was the truth of the season. It's not about getting gifts. It's not even about giving gifts. It's not lights or decorations, trees, food, family. None of that. It's not even the image of a baby in a manger, or shepherds in the field, or wise men on camels.

Instead, Christmas is the Savior of the world and the hand of a loving God reaching down from heaven's grandeur to heal man - spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially. It's God who is greater, higher, stronger,wiser, and more powerful, being willing and able to do every word of what He's promised. It's God's mercy, God's grace, and God's omnipotent ability come to earth to correct the destruction of evil and destroy the works of the devil. (1Jn 3:8)

Christmas is remembering the One who made the lame to walk and the blind to see! Oh, how I needed to hear that this year, and I will never forget it. Thanks, God!

Image by Prawny from Pixabay

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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.feelgoodromance.com
www.suzannedwilliams.com