I learned a new word today! I was in line at the post office and the lady in front of me asked for a book of stamps. She was asked if "holiday" stamps were ok. Her reply, "as long as they aren't too Jesus-y - God doesn't belong where these stamps are going." Anyone who knows me, knows I can be outspoken, and I couldn't help myself. I spoke up, "Ma'am God belongs everywhere." - "Not on my stamps!" - "Oh yes, He does."
I stepped up to be waited on by the other clerk while she continued with her transaction. And her comments to the clerk. "I think it would be awful to have your birthday on Christmas Day." Again, that overwhelming urge to speak came over me - "That's when Jesus' birthday is, you know" (with a smile). She laughed and agreed with me.
The conversation has stuck with me though. How can a holiday stamp -aka Christmas - be too "Jesus-y" when it is all about Him? Can anything about Christmas be too "Jesus-y" when it is His birthday we are supposed to be celebrating?
I really doubt that God looks down at Christmas and thinks "Man, they really need to cut out emphasizing my Son so much at this time of year.!" Ok, for one thing, I doubt God says talks like that - but if anything, He looks down and shakes His head in sorrow that so many don't recognize Jesus enough at this time of year.
I bought six stamps and said I didn't care what kind they were. Had I to over again, I wish I had said "Give me the most Jesus-y stamps you have!"
I wonder how many Christians lose sight of Christ during the Christmas season. I am afraid a big majority of us.
Since this is on my mind, I am going to re-post two blog posts I did last year. One is a story, and the other is a post I did on ways to keep Christ in Christmas, some of which are original, and some are borrowed.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Making Christmas too "Jesus-y" Part 1, The Conversation
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3 comments:
I didn't know Christmas could be too Jesus-y. Good for you for speaking up!
Way to go! I think you did the right thing. In fact I was rather disappointed that there weren't more choices in the holiday stamps than they were. There were probably a lot of people in line agreeing with you! Merry Christmas!
Hello!
You wrote: “I doubt God says talks like that - but if anything, He looks down and shakes His head in sorrow that so many don't ”
(le-havdil) I want to comment on that. It is easy to deduce what the Creator think.
A logical analysis of the earliest MSS (based on the implications of Dead sea scroll 4Q MMT) of what was redacted to “Matthew” proves that the historical first century Ribi Yehoshua ha-Mashiakh (the Messiah) from Nazareth was a Torah-teacher.
It is written in Torah, Devarim (“Deuteronomy”) 13:1-6, that it is forbidden to add or remove mitzwot (commandments) from Torah. This is written in Torah: “"Do not do like the practice of the land… in which you dwelled, and do not do like the practice of the land… to which I bring you, and do not walk in their traditions. Do My mi•shәpât•im′ and watchguard My khuq•im′ to walk in them." (wa-Yi•qәr•â′ 18.3). [words found in the glossaries in Netzarim www.netzarim.co.il ]”
That Torah-quote has implications about what the Creator thinks about Christmas.
Learn more about what Ribi Yehoshua from Nazareth (the Messiah) taught in the above website.
All the best, Anders Branderud
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