4-26-19 The Holiday Season and Theft of Joy

Daily Jot: The holiday season and theft of joy - Bill Wilson -
 
 
The holiday season-and I write that not to demean Christmas, but to include Hanukkah-is a time of the year for family, friends, faith and joy. Irrespective of the arguments about whether Christ was born or conceived this time of year or that Christmas is a holiday stacked with pagan symbolism, it is a time of the year when most of the world celebrates the birth of Christ. It is a time when families are brought together. It is a time of office gatherings, church celebrations, school plays, and dinners around the table in households worldwide. It is also a time that can bring a great deal of financial strain and pressure on families to entertain and to buy gifts. During these times, be extra cautious that your joy is not stolen.
 
Jesus Christ said in John 10:10, "The thief comes not, but to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." During the holiday season there is a meeting of these two truths-destruction and abundant life. They are opposed to one another. What better time of year for the devil to try to call someone's faith into question, but the very time of the year that people are celebrating their faith? We see it start every year right after Thanksgiving, another holiday that honors the blessings of the Lord. Think about how people behave on Black Friday. There are mobs, fights, even shootings because people are trying to get the first great deal for their Christmas presents.
 
Already, there have been headlines about angry and jilted lovers picking up a gun and going after the target of their fury. We see stories on the news where there are shootings at malls. People get into arguments over who has first dibs on a parking space. And there are those who look to prey on the innocents by taking what they have bought for their loved ones. The point is that in this day and age, where Hollywood, the news media, and politicians are spewing hate and violence while accusing others of what they themselves are doing, the public is like a pressure-cooker. We never know when it is going to boil over or the top will pop. Whatever the danger or the irritation, it's sure to raise its head during times of joy.
 
Remember that Christ came that you would have life and have it more abundantly. The spiritual battleground rages to spoil that abundance, steal it, and destroy it. Don't let it. Be wise on how you walk during this season, circumspect in your decisions. Remember to treat others as you would like to be treated. Be careful, but not fearful. Let the little things that irritate within the family slide a bit. While everyone is in the mood to celebrate, there is a lot of additional pressures. Empathy, compassion, love and honor go a long way to keep things on a positive note. If someone takes your parking place or cuts in line, who cares?-you are going to be there for a while anyway. Show the Christ in you that the devil in others will flee

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