'TWAS THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
It’s over. Christmas has come and gone. Shopping, cheesy TV shows, the trip to Grandma’s, candy canes, giving and receiving gifts. But there’s a sense in which Christmas has only begun.
Christmas began with a baby—God himself—entering our world. But this was just the start. He grew into a man, and ventured into our world with a message—a new way of life he called the kingdom of heaven. He came to bring heaven to earth. He inserted himself into our world so we could live in his, so we could experience his best for us. God always wants more for us than we want for ourselves.
For many of us, the day after Christmas is second only to April 15 as the most difficult day of the year. It’s a letdown after the Christmas crescendo. The Advent season is a time when the world in some small way is what it ought to be. Elvis Presley captured this sense in his song “Why Can’t Every Day Be Like Christmas?” It represents that wordless longing for God to set things right in our world because we sense that life is not what it ought to be. Deep inside, this is why we love Christmas. It reminds us of how God has set things right. At Christmas, we experience a small taste of heaven.
So let’s pause as we wave goodbye to another December 25. How can we hold on to Christmas a little longer?
We can start by carrying Christ’s spirit of service into everyday life. We can bring heaven to earth for the rest of the year. When a driver cuts us off, we can smile and wave. When we encounter a homeless person, we can make eye contact and greet them. We can help an elderly neighbor put out her garbage, even if she’s cranky. We can take time to listen to our family members and show them we really care.
Simple acts of kindness have the power to change others’ lives. We can display the spirit of Christmas 365 days a year. Like the babe in the manger, let’s change our world, a little bit every day, starting right now, on the day after Christmas.
Ponder
• How has your life been changed this Christmas season?
• What commitments can you make to live out the spirit of Christmas in the year ahead?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Luke 15.
Jesus, thank you for coming into our world. But even more, thank you for the new life you bring to each of us. Help me to live in the spirit of Christmas every day.
This article is adapted from The Perfect Gift, published by Our Daily Bread. You can order here: https://a.co/d/7Ho1vqm