How unsuitable it is for us, who live only by kindness, to be unkind!

have you ever had a moment when you’ve been reading when you’re so struck by a sentence or paragraph that you just can’t read anymore and feel driven to put your book down and meditate on that sentence or paragraph? that happened to me tonight as i read these words from Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, “Much in Deeds of Charity.”

this sentence struck me because it’s so true. how ridiculous it is for us who live only by the sheer kindness of our Creator, who sustains us day after day, to be unkind or uncharitable to those who are just as much the image of God, and just as much sustained by Him, as we are. i think this sentence struck me so much because of the time of year it is. at a time when we should all be the most joyful, preparing to celebrate the birth of our Savior and the great hope that came into the world because of that birth, there’s probably no other time of year in which people are more unkind, more uncharitable, more everything bad. just watching the news or going to any kind of store is enough to support the claim. people fighting over parking spots, people being incredibly impatient with understaffed retail stores, people being beaten up or even killed over a popular toy — it’s madness.

so perhaps there is no better time of year to pay attention to these words of Edwards’, and no better time of year to put a little more effort in to loving our neighbors as ourselves.

this is a Lutheran Advent Calendar. i think the Lutherans are on to something here…..

(HT: Kim Riddlebarger)

this notice was posted in America in the late 17th and early 18th centuries (Christmas was on its way back to being celebrated in the colonies by the time of the Revolution, though not fully celebrated until the 19th century, and not made a government holiday until 1870). in case you find it hard to read, it says:

PUBLICK NOTICE

The Observation of CHRISTMAS having been deemed a Sacrilege, the exchanging of Gifts and Greetings, dressing in Fine Clothing, Feasting, and similar Satanical Practices are hereby

FORBIDDEN

with the Offender liable to a Fine of FIVE SHILLINGS

do you ever wonder if we, in America, are again reaching a point where the celebration of Christmas will be outlawed? of course it wouldn’t be outlawed for the same reasons as it was in the 17th century. in fact, if it were to be banned today, the reasons for doing so would be on the completely opposite side of the spectrum from “Sacrilege.”

here’s my line of thinking. first, “Merry Christmas” was reduced to “Merry X-mas,” because of the offensiveness and intolerance of the name “Christ” to those who campaign for a more “politically correct” society. in recent years, “Merry X-mas” has been replaced by “Happy Holidays” in order to completely remove any indication that it is “Christmas,” a nearly four-letter word by now, that is being celebrated. some schools are no longer allowed to have Christmas parties and are to instead have “winter festivals.” even Santa is being outlawed from schools and businesses because he is deemed “too religious.” so it would seem that the next logical step is to completely ban Christmas. or at least remove anything and everything having to do with the Christian religion from the last 6 or so weeks of every year.

so why is this happening? because people are too worried about offending others. and deeper than that, people are too worried about frivolous lawsuits being brought against those who accidentally might let a “Merry Christmas” slip from their lips. most will probably say that they are making these new rules out of respect for other faiths. but i don’t think that’s quite accurate. i think it’s done out of nothing more than fear. fear of not being liked. fear of being gossiped about by others. fear of being called things like “intolerant” or something equivalent. maybe even fear of being harmed by those who are hostile to Christianity.

doesn’t this seem a bit ridiculous, though? especially if we remember what it is we’re supposed to be celebrating and the great hope that was not only begun but fulfilled by the birth of a child in Bethlehem so many years ago? our celebration and remembrance of Christ’s miraculous birth should not be filled with fear or anxiety over what others may think of us or do to us. it should fill us with joy. it should fill us with peace. it should fill us with hope.

so let us not be filled with fear in celebrating the birth of our Savior. let us boldly cling to Christ and let us remember what Christmas is truly about. in the immortal words of Linus Van Pelt:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

my last post on the book Suffering and the Sovereignty of God has had me thinking for the last couple of days about what helps me in times of strife. i won’t pretend that i’ve suffered in the ways that the contributors of the book have, praise God, and i pray that i never will. but the truth is that i might, someday.

what i’ve found is that i’m often driven to music when i’m down or going through some sort of hardship, and in particular i’ve found that i’m often driven to hymns. in a sense this makes sense. what better way to turn suffering and strife to worship than by crying out to God in song with words that have stood the test of time and have helped so many others in similar struggles. it’s in those times especially that we need to be reminded of God’s goodness, His strength, His love for His people, and the surety of His promises to those who love Him.

perhaps there is no better example of this than Martin Luther’s great hymn, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” (the German title being the title of this post). this hymn is such an encouragement to me. it’s such an encouragement to sing that God is a mighty fortress, a fortress that never fails though the evil powers of this world “doth seek to work us woe” and suffering. it’s an encouragement that Christ is on our side and that He will win the battle, “one little word” felling Satan and all his craftiness and deceit. and it’s an encouragement to know that the sufferings we may experience in these days and in these bodies are not forever. an eternal Kingdom awaits those who love the Lord, a Kingdom in which “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

these words have helped me tremendously in recent years and months, and i hope that they will help others who experience tough times as well.

a mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper He, amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing:
for still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and, armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing;
were not the right Man on our side,
the Man of God’s own choosing:
dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name,
from age to age the same,
and He must win the battle.

and though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
His truth to triumph through us:
the Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure,
one little word shall fell him.

that word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through Him Who with us sideth:
let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill
God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.