My Nana was the first to ask if we had the Christmas spirit. Other people would ask if we had “caught” the Christmas spirit.  Later, I realized that most people misspoke about what they imagined the Christmas spirit to be. People tended to speak of the joy of giving and receiving, the peace of warm family times, the friendliness and cheeriness of strangers.

 All of these traits are benefits of the spirit of Christmas, fully embellished with sentimentality and illustrated in movies galore.  The world gets a taste every year but doesn’t reckon the way to live in this light and warmth hence the old adage: “Wise Men Still Seek Him”.

Materialism?

My wife tends to call me a Grinch for the Dr. Suess character who tried to steal the joy of Christmas by stealing the Christmas loot.  I have never been a hater of Christmas, but I have resented the commercialism that masquerades as the real spirit.

I resented that there seemed to be many influences working to persuade people that the spirit of buying, the spirit of materialism, the spirit of entitlement added to the spirit of overindulgence equals Christmas. 

These are all wrong ideas.  These are not separate entities.  The spirit of Christmas is the one and only Holy Spirit who opens us up to warmth and affection that is completely irrational, to giving beyond what seems reasonable, to leaving our natural desires because of what He has done [and continues to do].  There is no other spirit of Christmas, no matter what others may say.

This is the affinity that people thirst for.  The joy of Christmas exists with Him and He allows us to experience it and it grows within us as we abide with Him.  The world tries to deny him but even as the years are numbered by his birth which is celebrated by billions worldwide, so His influence continues forever {Hallelujah!}. 

And even in the shadow of this torn and shredded year, He will pour out His Spirit yet once again to help unite us and heal our hearts.  If you don’t know Him, your healing can begin now. Ask Him to reign over your life and heart. Feel free to share your experience with me!

Only then will be learn to position Him in His rightful place as prophesied by Isaiah:  ”  . . .  A Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  [9:6  AMP]