Let’s put Christ back into Christmas

In the midst of all our merry making, it is so easy to forget the real meaning of Christmas isn’t it? How tragic, that the old fat jolly Santa has substituted Christ, in many ways.  Christmas is also sadly abbreviated to “Xmas”! We put an ‘ X ‘ for Christ?

Several years ago at School, I was walking towards the Staff Room.  Another Hindu teacher fell in step with me and asked:

“How is Christmas going?”.

“What do you mean by that? “  I enquired curiously.

“Well,” she said, “It is parties and new clothes, good food, gifts and Santa Claus”.

I stopped in my tracks and answered: “But that is not what Christmas really is!” And I went on to explain the birth of Jesus and so that today, when we accept Him, we have peace with God and forgiveness of our sins because Jesus was born to die for us. And this was the first time that she came to know what Christmas really is!

That evening, I shared this with my family, as we gathered around the dining table.  To make  Christmas more meaningful.  We decided that instead of buying new things for ourselves and others, we would invite the families in the slum where I was working, and serve them chicken briyani and sweet, and explain Jesus’ love to them.

And that is what we did.  Our home was filled with the poor.  As beggars and lepers along the road heard food was given, they joined in!  We seated them and made it a point to serve them ourselves.   After food we shared Jesus’ love with them!  What a lovely way of celebrating Christmas, don’t you think?

Jesus is God’s incredible gift to you and me!  This Christmas, is it again just a mad round of presents and parties?  We give gifts to many others we love, but what gift will we give Him – after all, it is HIS birthday?

He wants nothing less than our total life and our total love.  Romans. 12: 1,2.

Our Thara Team wishes each one of you a joy-filled Christmas and a New Year 2017, when we offer Him the passionate love of our grateful hearts and lives, for all His goodness and mercies to us particularly over the years.  God bless you abundantly.