Christmas...or...Xmas

It's the most wonderful time of the year... at least according to the popular Christmas song. And while I certainly don't want to be a Scrooge with a "ba-humbug", I do think it is sad to see what our world really thinks of Christmas. Why is it the most wonderful time of the year? Because we get presents and get out of school and off work? Because many times people get Christmas bonuses and have some type of worldly benefit? Or is the reason because we are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came to this earth to give us the greatest gift we could ever have.

Unfortunately, although not surprisingly, our world has lost the focus of Christmas...although I wonder if the world really ever had the proper focus anyway. But, from my perspective, it seems each year that our world moves further away from focusing on the birth of Christ, and more and more on themselves. And, even more unfortunate, is the fact that many believers lose focus of Christ during this time of the year and get caught up in what the world is focused upon. During this time of the year, DO NOT GET CAUGHT UP IN THE THINGS OF THE WORLD AND LOSE SIGHT OF CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF CHRIST!!

One evidence I see of a worldly focus of Christmas that really bothers me, is the change from Christmas to Xmas. Now obviously "Xmas" is quicker to write and easier to spell, but it sure gets rid of the reason we celebrate Christmas. I would really hate having my name replaced with an "X" and that is exactly what we do when we say Xmas. We replace "Christ" with an "X". That is pretty sad to me. It is also interesting to me that schools no longer have Christmas break or Christmas vacation. Instead they have winter break or winter holidays. People also are beginning to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." Little things like this are evidence to me of the disdain our "tolerant" society has for Christ or the things of God. I hope we, as believers, do not fall into this form of thinking.

In addition, as believers, we celebrate Christ's birth as well as His life, death, burial, and resurrection every day. Obviously we celebrate and are thankful for so much more than that as well. We have all spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus. He is the reason that we can have hope. I heard a story on the radio the other day of a lady who leaves her nativity up all year long to remind her that we celebrate Christ's birth every day. I hope we remember that as believers. Christ is the reason for everything. He is to be our focus. Have a great Christmas.