Like glitter houses, a Christian has a special joy at Christmas
“We are God’s masterpiece.” Ephesians 2:10 New Living Translation
I love making things during the Christmas holidays, and this year I’m enamored with the papier mâché houses that you can paint and shower with glitter. With a light inside, they’re magical.
On the shelf at the craft store, they’re practically sad, with dark windows and bare walls. But once purchased and plopped on a worktable at home, everything changes: metallic paint on the roof! Glitter walls! Pipe cleaner window frames! A gold wreath! Bleached trees with glitter and pearls! Sparkly snow! The vision in my mind takes shape as a beautiful centerpiece appears.
Christians are like glitter houses, with the light of Christ inside and the sparkle of his life covering them. Too often we don’t stop to marvel at how God has changed us—it’s easier to see our failures and missteps. Yet a lot has happened since we first embraced the good news. God’s been changing us. Before hearing the gospel, we resembled the empty houses at the store, without lights and unadorned. In one of Paul’s letters, he describes that old way of life. “They base their lives on pointless thinking, and they are in the dark in their reasoning. They are disconnected from God’s life because of their ignorance and their closed hearts” (Ephesians 4: 17-18 Common English Bible).
It’s good to take time during this hectic season to remember that all this started in a manger. Otherwise we’ll stay distracted by a holiday grabbing for our attention at the mall or on TV or our phones, from Santa and the Grinch to Scrooge and Charlie Brown. A different Christmas rises above these temporary entertainments, a gift from God that’s been entrusted to the Church for safekeeping.
Consider how much greater is this Christmas.
One could begin with the words, “Merry Christmas!” Long ago the mass on Christmas Day was called “Christ’s mass,” which became shortened to Christmas. A holy day on the Church calendar (a term later shortened to “holiday”), it marked the beginning of something new: God broke into human history by sending his son, a savior for all the world. A merry day, it brought joy. How rich is our greeting of “Merry Christmas!” when compared to “Happy Holidays!”
The contrast of central figures is even more striking. One holiday focuses on a jolly fellow keeping a list of who’s naughty and nice. He rewards the good, but gives switches and lumps of coal to the bad. Though all-knowing and possessing supernatural powers, Santa doesn’t have much depth to his cheery personality, and conversations are one-sided, mainly about our wish lists. His answers appear by the chimney on Christmas morning. That’s it until next year.
Christ, on the other hand, gives wonderful things to good and bad alike. His personality is full and vibrant, and the gospels record anger, tears, frustration, and joy. As we abide in him, we have a feeling of his presence throughout the year.
Santa has the North Pole; Christians have the Star of Bethlehem. Santa has elves; Christians have angels. Santa has reindeer flying through the sky, and we have sheep who’ve seen the sky open and angels sing.
And what of the gifts? For the world, the season ends after gifts are opened, often followed by a let down; for Christians the season begins with the arrival of God’s gift, the Christ Child. While Santa’s gifts may spark a “freak out,” as in this season’s funny Walmart commercial, Christ’s gifts bring peace on earth.
Each celebration has its own music, and two works achieve status of high art. In Tchaikovsky’s ballet, a little girl’s nutcracker inspires a long and beautiful dream. The toy becomes a prince, taking Clara to a heavenly place ruled by the Sugar Plum Fairy. When Clara awakes, her prince is gone. In Handel’s Messiah, however, a dream comes true. The prince of this story comes from heaven to be born in a manger. We rise from our seats for the Hallelujah chorus, for this king will not disappear when we awake. He shall reign forever and ever, King of kings! And Lord of lords! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
This year, take a quiet moment to meditate on the Christmas entrusted to God’s people. Think, too, about how God’s vision for you is becoming a reality in your life. No matter how much stumbling you’ve experienced (and humbling in the process), you’re a house illuminated with the Light of the world. We no longer sit on a retail shelf in darkness, hoping to be noticed before the season ends.
“You must shine among them like stars lighting up the sky, as you offer them the message of life.” Philippians 2:15-16 Good News Translation