A Tale Of Two “Holidays”
Yesterday was “Hallowed Evening”, popularly known as “Halloween”. The celebration of this pagan holiday has gotten pretty big down here in Colombia. Last night as I went to pick up my wife from work I was faced with teeming throngs of “trick or treaters” moving through the downtown section. Along with the little kids dressed up as a spiderman or a princess and other such “cute costumes” there were also great numbers of teenagers and adults of varying ages dressed up as everything from “Playboy Bunnies” (better known as shameless hussies) to “cats” (I’m guessing here, a black nose with whiskers painted radially around it with pointy ears on top and often a long tail seemed to be an attempt to be a “cat” and was a very popular costume this year to judge from the sampling on the street) Anyway, I was having “fun” dodging around and trying not to run over any of the revelers, not even the stoned out ones that begged for a trip to the hospital by their imprudent chemically induced behavior. And we managed to make it through with no mishaps and only a slight elevation of the blood pressure. 
I’ve long wondered why Christians would celebrate this “holiday”. The themes that prevail are dark, sinister and devoted to death, corruption and decay. Look at the “monster” masks, the one that glorify deformity and decay. What about the skeletons, those that celebrate death. And then there’s the “cute little witches” – what’s cute about the occult? Yes, I’m a “kill joy” – when it comes to getting joy from joining in with the camp of the enemy. Why should the sons of light pretend to be sons of darkness – even for one night?
You see, I serve a RISEN Savior. He did NOT undergo corruption and decay. He rose on the third day and lives today preparing a place for those who also turn from death, corruption and destruction to walk in a new life with Him. He came to defeat death. He came to bring LIGHT. He is calling us to also pass from death to life and to walk in the light even as He walks in the light. So why would we want to celebrate death, corruption, decay and darkness? This is something I do not understand.
And then comes another “holiday”. “Christ’s Mass” – popularly known as “Chrismas” – is a celebration of the coming of the Christ to bring new life and hope to those who walked in darkness. Yes, we KNOW He was not really born on December 25 but we DO celebrate the birth of a Child Who came to give His life for us so that we can walk in God’s light. And since we do not know what day He was born, December 25 works as well as any other date. I’ve no problem with that, just as I have no problem celebrating my wife’s birthday on October 30. As an adopted child she has no idea what day or hour she came into this world. A judge said “Let’s call it October 30″ and they did. So now each year we celebrate her birthday on October 30 – even though the real day could conceivably be much earlier or even later in the year. What matters is that she WAS born and this celebration is a celebration of her coming into this world – and I especially celebrate because the Lord brought her into this world to serve as my life partner, no matter what day she was born.
Now that the darkness and corruption of Halloween are behind us, let us turn our hearts and minds to the coming popular festival of Christmas. Let us prepare ourselves to put Christ back into the celebration. Why use some fat guy dressed in red as a symbol of the Savior’s coming? Why use a tree covered with baubles and lights? Let’s let folks know the REAL “Reason For The Season” this year. Let’s make sure folks KNOW that we’re celebrating the fact that Jesus the Christ came to earth as a baby and that He grew into a Man who was MORE than a man, ultimately giving His life as a ransom for many. The manger or the empty cross can equally symbolize the coming of the Christ. Yes, He came as a baby – but He came on a mission. He came to live and die and rise again to proclaim His authority and power and ability to help us too overcome the death and corruption brought into this world by the evil one.
In a way we too celebrate death. We celebrate that the “baby of Bethlehem” came to die for us, allowing us to escape the trap of the devil and to walk in the Light of our Creator. Now as we head towards “Thanksgiving” and then on to “Christmas” let us take time to encourage each other to truly walk as children of the Light. We have much to be thankful for this year, not the least of which is the opportunity to live as Christ would live in our place. We are not perfect, but we know He Who can help us to throw off the sin that so easily entangles us. We know that He can help us to live according to His will, in spite of our weakness and frailty. He is glorified through our weakness because He uses us for His glory, first by changing our pitiful lives and then by using us to help change others.
Remember during the upcoming holiday season that Christ is not necessarily glorified through the gifts we give, not that giving gifts is wrong. He is not necessarily glorified through the variety and quantity of fine food on our tables, not that preparing feasts and enjoying them with friends and family are wrong. He is not glorified through the parties and the holiday “rush and bustle” as we try to make it to this party or to find that gift. During the upcoming “holiday season” He is glorified when we put off the old man we once were and as we live in the new life to which He has called us. So, let’s not conform ourselves to the image of the worldly season of greed and emptiness, let us be transformed by renewing our minds so that we can live as Christ would live in our place. Let His light shine through us so that those who see us will glorify our Father above.
As the Apostle wrote:
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:1-17
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