Do You Believe It?

Black Friday shopping has now spilled over onto Thanksgiving Day. The news is full of stories about the shoving and screaming … the grabbing and wrestling … over a Christmas present purchase. Last year someone actually died in the stampede to be first in line.

In all that noise and chaos it’s hard to believe it … the reason for Christmas.

Today is the first day back to school … after the shooting rampage at Sandy Hook School. Teachers, secretaries, counselors, janitors … and students … enter their school filled with fear. The sound of a book falling to the floor will cause repercussions for anyone hearing that noise. Some may even throw themselves to the floor ... a knee jerk reaction to the sound of gunfire.

With all that fear and high anxiety it’s hard to believe it … the reason for Christmas.

I refuse to do the Black Friday thing. Nothing is that important to me to brave that carnage to make a purchase. And I have no little kids headed out to school this morning. But I do have a daughter that is standing in a classroom as I write these words. I know she would give her life for her students. My heart is broken for the families touched by this recent tragedy.

With all the crying and clinging going on it’s hard to believe it … the reason for Christmas.

But as a Christ-follower, I do believe it. That little baby born in Bethlehem came for a reason … to give us hope and peace. Above all the chaos and grief is love … God’s love. And as a believer, it is up to me to show that love with skin on. If I could, I would hold all the wounded hearts close. But since I can’t, then today I will be very aware of people I come in contact with. If they need love with skin on, I’ll be there.

Jesus is the reason. Do you believe it?

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.” John 3:16 (MSG)