Holy Days
Remember a few years ago when there was that big push to change "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays"? Here's a little something I learned. The word holidays is an Old English word meaning holy days. So, when people say "Happy Holidays" then are actually saying "Happy Holy Days". I am not denying that the word Christ is specifically in the word Christmas. Neither am I saying that it is okay to eliminate Christ from Christmas. I am in complete agreement that Christmas is merry because of Jesus. However, I am not totally convinced that fighting and quibbling over whether or not it is acceptable to use certain words to greet people is obeying the command of God in the book of Colossians when He says "Above all love." Somehow I just don't see these type of disagreements spreading the love of God and sharing the good news of Jesus' birth.
With all due respect for personal opinion, I would like to humbly say I believe we need to quit fighting each other. We need to quit ignorantly fighting about which words to use and other petty things. We need to begin living and speaking from a place of life, from the heavenly places where we have been seated in Christ Jesus. (Colossians 3) To put it plainly, we need to grow up, grow up in Christ Jesus and live as He lived.
Yes there is a time to fight, to war (Ecclesiastes 3:8), for the scriptures tell us this, but it is not to be done as the world does. It is not to be based on fear and anger. We are not of those who shrink back in fear and are destroyed. We are the righteous. We are therefore bold as a lion, the Lion of Judah. We are wearing the armor God has provided and warring from a heavenly place, seeing with a heavenly perspective as good soldiers of Jesus Christ. We have stripped off the old self with its evil practices and have clothed ourselves with the new spiritual self, which is ever in the process of being renewed and remolded into fuller and more perfect knowledge upon knowledge after the image the likeness of Him Who created it. (Colossians 3)
We are being gentle and forbearing with one another. If one of us has a difference against another, we readily pardon each other: even as the Lord has freely forgiven us, so we also forgive. (Also Colossians 3) We clothe ourselves as God's own chosen ones by putting on behavior marked by tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of ourselves, gentle ways, and patience. (Yes, Colossians 3) We are not overcome by evil, but we overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:1) I would like to insert a disclaimer at this point that I am NOT talking about avoiding taking a stand for truth and justice; nor do I feel we ought to avoid necessary conversations and honest discussions just because they might get "messy". I am simply proposing we major in the majors and allow the minors to slip away into nothingness where they belong.
There are seasons in life when the temptation to sin against God and others is real, very real. This could easily be such a season. This year, let's be purposeful NOT to contaminate our Holy Days with fleshy fighting over words and other things. Let's join together in making 2020 the BEST Holy Day season any of us have EVER experienced here on earth! Let's decide to share the good news of the Light of the World, Jesus, by shining with His love in every word we speak and every thing we do. When the Holy Days are over for the year may the world know Christ is in Christmas by His love flowing out of us to them. If we give His love, it will flow out of whichever greeting we use. Better yet, let's make sure the Holy Days never end. Let's be intentional about making the Holy season last all year every year as true children of God do. Let's become the good news of Christmas and be God's love story for all to read.
Merry Christmas!