WBGL, our local Christian radio station (Champaign, Illinois), has been running a truly awesome "commercial" about every 90 minutes this Christmas season.
Take a read thru this powerful message.....
CHRISTMAS CONSPIRACY
Everyone wants Christmas to be meaningful, right?
Filled with joy, memories, family, and worship.
So Christmas comes..... and goes..... and on December 26 we remember.....
Oh yeah, it's not about presents..... it's about being present.
It's not about lights and decorations..... it's about being a light.
It's not about consumerism..... it's about Jesus.
GIVE MORE
SPEND LESS
WORSHIP FULLY
LOVE ALL
It's a Christmas conspiracy.
To explain each of those 4 tenets a little further:
Worship Fully:
Worship derives from Old-English words meaning "worth-ship." What we give worth to is what we worship: possessions, God, shopping, children, money, Jesus. We worship all the time. Advent is a time to consciously direct our worship towards Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. A time to worship fully.
Spend Less:
When we spend less anxiety, energy, worry, and money on things that don't matter, then the things that do will come to the surface of our lives. Seek out a few people you trust and agree that this year you won't commodify your love for each other. Figure out how to give each other time, attention, and love, then channel the money you save to something that reflects the heart of Jesus.
Give More:
In the greatest Christmas gift of all—Jesus—God gave us a relationship with a person. Giving ourselves to others is the original Christmas tradition. We're giving when we give our time. Hand-make a thoughtful gift, spend time with the kids, or write a poem. By giving time, you'll spend less. You'll be free to give away a little of what you saved, and God will multiply it.
Love All:
The Christmas story is a love story. Beyond the white-noise of holiday frenzy, God has never stopped inviting us into his heart. We tell the story of Christmas with our lives. It's not that there's something wrong with the shopping mall—it's that the better story is about loving all.
Folks.....Christmas is so much more than buy, buy, buy, rush, rush, rush, stress, stress, stress.
Relax.
Enjoy.
And simmer in the sweetness of all the season has to offer.
Out for now.....
Matt