Very often, starting around the day before the night before Christmas, otherwise dark people begin to light up from the insides. Something changes, something fundamental, and even confirmed Scrooges are seen to smile, wave, and hold the door for strangers.
“He’s caught the Christmas Spirit,” people will say. Or, “Too bad she’s not really this nice.” And, “Enjoy it while it lasts; in a couple of days he’ll be back to normal.”
But here’s what I think. I believe that the goodwill, and the pleasantry, and the gentle light shining from deep inside these folk is nothing short of 100% natural. What’s abnormal is the dysfunction; what’s wide of God’s mark are the other three-hundred and sixty-some days; what’s uncalled for is this broken world’s unrelenting pain.
As Christ-followers we have this power to turn things around, we have this extraordinary opportunity to plug people back into normal. We can be the people who have the courage to really begin to unpack Christmas.
(“Epilogue” – from In My Heart I Carry A Star: stories for Advent)
In Love, and because of Love – DEREK
No comments:
Post a Comment