This is the time of year when our stress levels rise. The American Psychological Association found that 38% of people say their stress increases during the holidays — only 8% of people say they feel happier. At a time when we are supposed to be celebrating the birthday of Jesus, we get more stressed. Seems a bit backwards. If we look closer, we find that the reason people stress over Christmas is not because of the birth of our savior. It is because of all the traditions that have developed around the holiday. Like buying gifts, decorating, and hosting parties. None of which have anything to do with celebrating Christ’s birth.
Why do we make Christmas so hard to celebrate? No surprise when we realize we do the same thing year ‘round. I read numerous articles about how complicated our lives are today. Almost all presented the solutions to plan better, to get more organized. Wrong! Our lives are complicated because we have too much to do. Not really too much to do but think we have too much to do. Our society, mostly as a result of technology, trains us to do everything to the max – homes, cars, clothing, landscaping, weddings, sports fandom, and on and on. And there is this prevailing sense of the need to stuff every moment doing something. And then when we decide to just sit and relax, what do we do? We watch our televisions that include programs and commercials that remind us we have to stay busy and achieve.
I recall summers on my grandparents’ farm where life moved at a slower pace. The days were filled with working on what was essential in life. Food, clothing, shelter. When you think about it, anything beyond those three things is not only unnecessary, but unnecessarily complicating. Not to mention expensive. Which leads to another reason we have complicated our lives. The pursuit of things which drives us to need more money. Proverbs 16:16 says “How much better to get wisdom than gold, to get insight rather than silver!” If we pursued wisdom and insight more than material things, we simply would need less money to live our lives.
Christmas 1973
Back to Christmas and how it has become so complicated. Sure, our parents tried to make our Christmases fun for us by giving gifts each year. And yes, mom did her best to provide special foods for the season. As I look back on those times, I realize they did so in moderation. And honestly, I was as excited to get a stocking full of fruits and nuts as I was to open gifts. But what really made Christmas special back then was being a family. It was a time when the world stopped for a few days and we celebrated Christmas for what it originally meant. I fondly recall sitting in the living room in December around the advent wreath with its lighted candles as mom read the Christmas story. Just a few minutes each day to stop and remember what the holiday was about.
I suppose it comes down to priorities. What is important to us. You can go with modern societies’ admonition to ‘get the best out of life’ or you can respond to God’s call to live a life of peace and service. As Joshua said, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
What gods are you serving today? Do they bring you peace and contentment? Or do they make your life complicated and stressful?
Matthew 6:20
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
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