Say It Like You Mean It

I went to the post office to buy some stamps.

There were several people ahead of me in line each with packages to ship.

With each transaction, a receipt was printed.

Each time the clerk pointed to a spot on the receipt and said to the customer, “Here is your tracking number.”

When my turn came, I requested my stamps and paid for them.

A receipt was printed for me as well.

The clerk paused before handing it to me.

“Is there a problem?” I asked.

“I don’t see your tracking number,” she stated.

As my transaction was a purchase, there was no tracking number.

Knowing how busy she is this time of year I thought she could use a laugh.

“That’s okay,” I replied, “I’ll try to remember where I put them.”

We shared the laugh and I departed.

As humorous as this event was, it did force me to think about how much of the season becomes routine.

Routines are things we do automatically.

They require little thought.

They are comfortable.

Even wishing someone “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Christmas” can become automatic.

As we continue our journey through Advent, perhaps we should turn the autopilot off.

We should consider just why it is that Christmas makes us merry and happy.

Christmas celebrates the birth of a baby born to humble parents in an obscure village.

A baby who was born in a stable instead of a palace.

Even the first to hear the news were but simple shepherds, not the rich and powerful.

This is how He came into the world.

This was His first step in His journey among us.

It was a journey that began in a stable and ended at a cross.

How could this possibly make us merry or happy?

There is no simple, easy cookie cutter answer.

The fact that He took this journey willingly for our benefit is part of it.

The fact that this was the only way to make us right with God is another.

The fact that this is a reminder that He is coming again is the best reason of all.

We celebrate Christmas because it was the defining moment when God reached down to a fallen world.

And He did so in the most remarkable way.

Luke 2:10-11 (NET) - But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, for I proclaim to you good news that brings great joy to all the people: Today your Savior is born in the city of David. He is Christ the Lord.

Go ahead and say “Merry Christmas!”

Just make certain that you mean it.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, December 16, 2016.

I will be back here on Friday, December 23, 2016