Christ Mas means More Christ

Have you ever noticed that the word Christmas contains two words, Christ and mas? We know the basics about who and what Christ is, but what about the rest of the word? Interestingly, in Spanish, the word "mas" means "more."

With "more" information about the word, Christmas, your wheels are probably already turning and churning visions of "more Christ." However, if we truly want to see more of Christ and be more of Christ, we have to focus on Him more than once a year on December 25. In fact, there are some who even argue that December 25 might not be the actual birthdate of Jesus Christ. Regardless of what day Jesus was born, it's remarkable that Christians worldwide have all agreed to observe His birth on the same day. To get any small group to agree on one item is remarkable, but to have worldwide agreement is miraculous, making December 25 a special day regardless of any question of historical accuracy!

The holiday cheer that we have this time of year, the "seasons greetings" of "peace on earth and good will toward men", the spirit of giving, all of these should be a way of life, not limited edition holiday specials that we readily exchange after the new year like so many unwanted presents.

With the economy in its' current condition, many people are not in a position to maintain the level of gift giving they have grown accustomed to. That makes this Christmas a perfect opportunity to give "more" Christ. How do we do that? One way is to simply give less of the things we know are not of Christ-- less arguing and complaining, less selfish thinking, less faultfinding, less impatience. Ask the Lord to help you identify even more "lesses" because less can truly be more!

Today, on this Christmas Eve eve, why not begin reflecting on Jesus' birth and what God has been preparing to birth in you. Perhaps there are some things (or people) you need to leave behind so you can have less of what you got caught up in along the way and more of what God knows you need to have to walk in The Way, The truth and The Life. Maybe the best gift you can give this year is a renewed you.

Have a merry Christmas and BNcouraged!

Rev. Karen