Today’s reading is on the Shepherds in Luke 2:8-20.
Happy November! With October past and the Christmas season soon kicking into full gear, what more suitable verse to go to than the true meaning of Christmas from A Charlie Brown Christmas?
I apologize for reminding you all about this, but the next few months are going to be stressful and long, full of family & travel plans, entertainment preparation, buying gifts, the work year coming to busy end, and mitigating the effects of the worsening weather. It can be a frantic period, far too easy to lose your cool and become sick of the holidays. Personally, I never enjoy the consumerism involved in Christmas season – so much of media and society around us revolves around buying and receiving stuff that it can spoil the importance of this time of year. But in this stressful season, the straightforward faith of the shepherds in this Scripture are a needed example of how simple this whole season really is. Just like in the aforementioned special, when Charlie Brown grows weary of the season, Linus reminds us all of this:
Christ is here! A savior is born! Glory to God in the highest! These shepherds hear the good news and immediately celebrate, going to Jerusalem to see the Messiah and share the good news with all we see. In an instant nothing else matters – they are called to act, then they drop everything and celebrate the Lord. Whatever headaches these next few months, remember our true missive as Christians in this season: spreading the good news that Jesus Christ is born. Yes, every frantic shopping trip, every long car ride to family, every bill and expense added to the Christmas credit card; they all are useful for important things like family and generosity. They all, however, revolve around a single truth – the living Lord who has blessed us all with these things. In all these moments lie opportunities to follow the Shepherd’s examples here: tell all we see that the Savior is here. Pray today that the Lord would remain in our hearts and thoughts in this important upcoming time of year, and enable us all to share the joy Jesus brings us this Christmas season and always evermore.