Ebenezer Scrooge, The Grinch, and Jesus

So I have waited as long as I can to blog about my feelings about Christmas. I told myself not to blog the day after Thanksgiving when I was already fed up with Christmas but to wait until I really needed to explode. Well, God's been working on my heart, so I don't think I'll explode, but here goes...

The last few Christmases, I have become more and more of a Scrooge or Grinch, as many would call me. I hate what America has done to Christmas, made it all about presents and materialism and big dinners all for ourselves. I especially hate that the American church has gone with the flow on this issue and has adopted Christmas while forgetting Advent. Sean preached an awesome sermon this last Sunday on the difference between Christmas and Advent, tying it in with how we are not supposed to be of the world but we are called to live in the world faithfully living and proclaiming Christ. What better season than Advent to do that?! But how exactly are we representing Christ during this season? We show the world that Jesus came to make us rich, comfortable, happy, warm, safe, and entitled to all other kinds of "rights" such as these. We communicate that Jesus is just in our church buildings, not on the cold streets, in the foster homes, in the homeless shelters. We have adopted the world's celebration of Christmas by making it all about the Christmas parties and presents (none of which we need). Meanwhile, much of the world is suffering from malnutrition, malaria, AIDS, and worst of all, never hearing about Jesus. Why must we spend all that money on ourselves on stuff we certainly don't need when the world is dying without Christ, the very One whom we claim to celebrate during this season?

All of this and more is why I have become a Scrooge or Grinch about Christmas. But Sean brought up a good point that we need to be focusing on Advent, on the actual coming of God to earth as a man. Johnny also talked about how big this event really was and that we should worship God with all of our beings during the Advent season--even with Christmas songs (which I am NOT a big fan of...that's an understatement by the way). Then this morning I was reading through Matthew 2, part of the story of Jesus' birth, and God convicted me of my attitude. Now, I want to spend this season JOYFULLY giving thanks to and worshiping Christ who humbled Himself so much to come to earth for His glory and our redemption! May this season be a time where we quiet our hearts before Him, humbly worship Him, and let Him accomplish His work in our lives. Thank you, Jesus, for being so patient with me. Continue to change my attitude from Grinchness to holiness.