When you ponder on Jesus’ entrance into the world that first Christmas, does a sense of wonder envelop you?
What an unlikely cast of characters to play the lead roles. What an obscure location for the world’s most life-changing event to unfold. What an odd menagerie to surround the newborn king. What a bedraggled group of first visitors to kneel before the manger.
And yet, that was how God sent his one and only Son to make his dwelling among us.
God’s script for the entry of his Son and our Saviour was full of purpose and low on pomp. It was high on meaning and unbothered about glamour.
Salvation came without flashlights and carpets.
God wrote a far more creative and endearing story than any of us could conjure up. It was warm and ingenious—a narrative that invited the lowly and the excluded the proud.
But our culture has traded meaning for noise, purpose for glamour, and worship for shopping. It has transformed Christmas into a commercial holiday.
The focus is more on presents under the tree than the presence of God who made his dwelling among us.
But what would it look like if we choose to celebrate every Christmas like the very first one?
What if God’s simple and creative script for the first Christmas shapes our sensibilities and our festivities more than unabashed commerce? Here are three things we could do to enjoy the true spirit of Christmas.
Clear the Clutter For Christ
One thing common about the Christmas season for most of us is that it is the busiest time of the year.
While we may decorate our homes with a cushion or hand towel that reads, “Jesus is the reason for the season” or something similar, the fact is church programmes, outreach initiatives, Christmas parties, baking goodies, buying gifts, and hosting friends often end up crowding out Christ from our celebrations.
This season, whether we are single, married, or have kids, can we resolve to clear the clutter in order to cultivate intimacy with Christ? It may mean taking a long, hard look at our schedules and simply letting some things “slide” in order to make room for the important.
Ask a creative God for ideas that you can weave into the rhythm of your daily life, but here are some thoughts to get you started.
- Light an Advent candle and read from a Christmas devotional
- Play Christmas music during dinner
- Read through the nativity story as a family
- Memorise a verse or two that speaks of the Messiah
- Instead of letters to Santa, encourage your kids to write a letter to Jesus
- Write down an attribute of God for every day of Advent and thank him for who he is
Without Jesus at the centre, no matter how busy the season, Christmas will be empty and joyless.
This season, whether we are single, married, or have kids, can we resolve to clear the clutter in order to cultivate intimacy with Christ? It may mean taking a long, hard look at our schedules and simply letting some things “slide” in order to make room for the important.
This year, be intentional about creating quiet, “be still” moments to reflect on the beauty and wonder of that first Christmas.
Reach Out Consistently
When we look back at the nativity story, we see that God chose obscurity over attention. He chose poverty over pomp. He chose to announce the birth of his Son to a group of dishevelled and startled shepherds rather than kings and princes.
Throughout his life, Jesus valued those on the margins.
He commands us to do the same.
And we do. As churches, at Christmas time, we visit orphanages and shelter homes, donate blankets and biriyani lunches. We give gifts to those who serve us in our apartment buildings and offices. Those are undoubtedly good things.
But when we reflect on Christ’s commitment to us, perhaps as image-bearers we ought to commit to serving others more consistently than one event, once a year.
Perhaps our “creative” Christmas could include how to make our outreach a sustainable effort.
Is there some way to give of our time and resources every week or every month? While how we reach out differs widely based on specific situations, here are some practical ideas that you can implement consistently.
- Could you get a group of young people to play a football game with the kids at an orphanage every month?
- Could you spend an hour a week tutoring a child or teaching art or music for a year or even a quarter?
- Could you commit as a small group to providing a meal a month for the charity that you want to support?
- Could you write the communications material, take photographs, or help with social media for an organisation that might not have resources to do so?
At Christmas, we celebrate the forever covenant that Christ made possible because he reached out to us when we had nothing to offer him.
May our commitment to others have a lasting impact where we begin to see people as people and not merely as Christmas projects.
Include Those in Your Outer Circle
But what about your tried-and-true traditions? Is there room for doing the things you love? Absolutely! As long as those traditions drive us toward God and not away from him.
In sticking to our Christmas traditions, can we also creatively welcome others into them? Can we widen our arms to enfold those on the margins with the love of Christ?
Perhaps it is as simple as thinking outside the box about who our guest list might include this year. Here are some scenarios for you to consider.
- Invite your neighbours to help you trim the Christmas tree (Hot chocolate is always a bonus)
- Include a young person who is far from family for Christmas lunch
- Gather the children in your apartment building for carol singing practice and pizza
- Host an open-house event where neighbours and colleagues can drop in for cookies and coffee
- Remember those who might have lost loved ones this year and invite them to bake with you or help you make Christmas goody bags
While we reach out with the love of Christ, may we be prepared to share the reason for our hope (1 Peter 3: 15).
In sticking to our Christmas traditions, can we also creatively welcome others into them? Can we widen our arms to enfold those on the margins with the love of Christ?
May we be grounded in the truth of what Jesus has done for us and yet always stand amazed at the spectacular scene of that very first Noel.
May we share that good news with great joy and creativity this Christmas.
