A Good Word For Everyone, All Year Long
Ed, my old neighbor from Saskatchewan, called yesterday to see if I had any right words to share. The cold that belongs in the Arctic circle had invaded Melville. Ed said it was so cold outside that he missed going downtown for coffee a couple of days. Ed admitted that he was getting soft, and thinking about going to Arizona for part of the winter if it continues to be a polar bear winter.
I told Ed to think carefully about going to Arizona for part of the winter because it will cost him money. To my surprise, he ignored the comment and said that he wanted to ask me some Christmas questions. I figured they would not be serious and they weren’t.
His first question was, “Are you riding a motorbike like Santa?” “What kind is that?” I asked him. He said a “Holly Davidson!” His second question was no better, “What is the best Christmas present in the world? No religious answer allowed,” Ed insisted. His answer was, “A broken drum, you just can’t beat it.” Thankfully I was spared more of Ed’s jokes because of Ruby, Ed’s wife, wanted to talk to my wife about a Christmas cookie recipe. Ruby was getting baking ready for their New Year’s Eve party.
Ed and I just had time for a quick Merry Christmas to each other before the women took over the phone. As we celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, it seems that there are lots of right words to share with each other. Some words might be a Savior born, a baby in a manger, enjoy your family get-together, your Christmas dinner, your time of laughter, and joy.
For Christians, the right word at Christmas is Jesus, who was born of Mary and laid in a manger. “The Word, Jesus, became flesh and dwelt among us. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him, Jesus, was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
Christmas Day can be a day of excitement and new beginnings because of gifts received. An old toy means it has already been played with, no mystery or sense of discovery left there. When Jesus took on flesh and was born into this world as the baby Jesus, it was so the mystery and love of God could be seen among us as a living, breathing, human being. Jesus came to show us God in action and what he does in love among us.
Jesus ushered in the reign of God. Light for those who realize they are helpless in the darkness of sin and self. In Jesus, the Word, the mighty and gracious God comes to act in mercy to the infants and children, the powerless, and weak. Through Jesus comes forgiveness to all who will receive it. Jesus was willing as the Word of God to go to the cross sacrificially and be rejected and die for us. It was his gift to us forever.
