Keeping Christ after Christmas

We don’t celebrate a baby’s birth, only to then leave him at the hospital. Nor do we take him home, only to then put him in a closet or on a shelf like some new accessory. We bring him home and build our lives around him. Our lives are never again what they were before his birth. Everything is now marked by his presence, because he is now part of who we are. We were individuals; now we are parents.

Christmas is a wonderful time to celebrate the birth of the world’s only Savior, King Jesus; the child “given to us” according to God’s promise, and according to God’s purpose to send His own Redeemer to deliver men from their sins. But we aren’t supposed to leave the Baby in the manger, or put away the nativity set for another year, returning meanwhile to life “as usual.” He didn’t come to be put on display as an artifact of our religious culture, much less a name that some repeat when distressed. He didn’t make the trip from heaven to Bethlehem to be merely remembered, but to be revered and honored and obeyed for who He really is, the Lord of heaven and earth.

To remember His birth without including Him in every aspect of our lives, making His presence and His desires for us a factor in everyday life, is really no different from what we do with some other notable figures of history. We still remember the birth of some American presidents, even making the date as a holiday for office workers and mailmen, among others. Would Washington and Lincoln have been pleased, if they had known their birthdays would someday give many of their countrymen a reason to stay home from work and busy themselves with more enjoyable duties? Perhaps. And, in a similar way, the birth of Christ has been a boon to the economy , as countless merchants depend on seasonal spending to keep themselves in business.

Now, the annual holiday period surrounding Christmas is, in many ways, a wonderful montage of traditions for family and friends. But, for most of America, is it really about Christ? After the trees, lawn decorations and nativities are put back into the garage or under the stairs, and after the gifts are put away (or exchanged and/or re-gifted), what then? Is there a noticeable difference in our day-to-day existence that gives evidence of a new Life in our midst, a new Spirit in our hearts?

If Christ’s birth leaves a permanent and life-changing impression on our lives, then we can truly celebrate the King’s nativity, for we are remembering His miraculous entry to our world, His humble condescension to assume a Servant’s form, and His gracious mission to take our place on the cross. But if the Son of God’s birthday doesn’t leave our hearts any more changed than the birthday of a president, then, aside from the extra parties and food, it’s pretty much just another day without mail.