One of my favorite Christmas hymns is, “Love Came Down at Christmas.” The images housed within the three short verses of this hymn are magnificent and creative. Besides, the tune is just fun to sing.
Sometimes within the mad dash to the Christmas finishline the love portion of this season gets lost. We get lost in the decorating, the party going, the endless trips to the mall, sending/receiving Christmas cards that many see as “just another necessary” task that isn’t filled with joy, and so the list goes on and on and on.
My neighbor expressed his regret our first year in the community because immediately after Thanksgiving our outside Christmas lights were up and turned on. He fretted because he just knew that his wife was going to start pestering him to their lights up. Well, evidently he won that battle for the last two years since the lights didn’t go up. Go figure … right?
Recently I came across the Christmas version for 1 Corinthians that I would like to share:
If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator. If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook. If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing. If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point.
Love stops the cooking to hug the child.
Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband.
Love is kind, though harried and tired.
Love doesn't envy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens.
Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way,
but is thankful they are there to be in the way.
Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return
but rejoices in giving to those who can't.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love never fails.
Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust.
But giving the gift of love will endure.
From our home to yours … Have a very Merry Christmas.
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