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Hark, the Herald Tribune sings,
Advertising wondrous things.
God rest ye merry merchants,
May ye make the Yuletide pay.
Angels we have heard on high,
Tell us to go out and buy!
-Tom Lehrer
The problem we should concentrate on at Christmas is not the supposed remnants of paganism in the holiday, but the spirit of materialism which has invaded it. I don't see any point in howling to the world over this issue. The big companies find Christmas too profitable to heed our arguments, and the world unregenerate can have no interest in Godly arguments. We are in the world, but no longer of it - while we spread the Gospel to the world, the world's ways are not our ways, and we hold no mandate to try to change those ways save only by individual redemptions.
It is not the world that any of us should imitate - we belong to another world, are subjects of another King. The besetting sin of the world - excluding unbelief - is materialism. The world loves money, strives its best to acquire more and more money. Not that money in itself is bad - it is a necessity of life, but the love of money is:
"For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10 KJV)
The desire for wealth leads to theft, corruption, murder - all kinds of moral dissolution. People of the world are known by their possessions - by their cars, houses, designer clothes, by how much they can buy. We are not to be like this - when Jesus sent out His apostles He instructed them to take nothing unnecssary, only the bare minimum:
"And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats." (Mark 6:8-9 KJV)
Likewise we are not to follow the example of the world and exalt people because of their wealth, as some churches do, giving them better seats and more honour than poorer folk:
"For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? (James 2:2-4 KJV)
Christmas has become, to the secular world, the great festival of wealth - rather than a celebration of Jesus, the poor man of Galilee who brought us heavenly riches. People strive to buy the most expensive gifts, of the greatest number, aided and abetted by the greed of business.
There is no time at which debt levels rise so swiftly than Christmas. In order to buy their children expensive gifts, parents will willingly give themselves great levels of debt. The world tells them: you abuse your children by not giving them the latest toys, the designer-label clothes; they will get bullied, the other children have these so buy, buy, buy. we are not the world - heavenly riches far outweigh those of the present day.
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 KJV)
There is nothing wrong with the giving of gifts. Indeed most Christians do so - gifts in honour of this festival of Christ. What we should not do is either over-indulge our children (or for that matter, ourselves) giving them an urge for instant gratification they will carry into adulthood, or bow down to pressure. Just because "everyone" has something does not mean we should - we are not like everyone else, "ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Peter 2:9 KJV) We are the people of God.
Before we buy, think. How much do we need, and what is mere frivolity? From what motive are we buying? Is it because we want "Mr & Mrs Jones" to admire this possession? to think how rich, how clever we must be to own it? Is it because we like to own many expensive things, to prove our value by their worth? Or is it a moderate gift, to add nothing more than a little happiness to a feast? something useful, something necessary? In all things we must ask ourselves - does this glorify God? Can you imagine Jesus owning such a thing, or buying from your motives?
We must constantly be on guard lest the customs of this world ensnare we are are not citizens of this world. Money and possessions must not become our gods. An idol is simply something which gets between us and God - do your possessions do that? Does your love of money stop you thinking about God? Do your things take your mind away from Him? Money will tarnish, goods may be stolen - but we serve the living God, who always has been and always will be. Nothing and no one can destroy Him - do you, His child, remember Him?
"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." (1 Timothy 6:17-19 KJV
© Dubhóc MacEògainn, 2005.