Devotional 12-16-13

  

Christmas Pictures

When my parents celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary, they had a dinner party and invited friends and family.  My brothers, Jim and Bert Wright, and I decided we would say a few words about how blessed we were to have been born into such a loving household.  

I spoke first; Jimmy added his comments and was followed by my older brother, Bert.  When Bert began his oration, he lamented the fact that he had allowed us to precede him because we had taken all of the good stories. I had suggested earlier that we get our stories straight and was outvoted, so I didn’t feel too sorry for him.

Bert decided to use family photos as the focus of his talk, specifically targeting the Christmas pictures.  We did have quite a few pictures of the family in front of the tree, some with Bert as an only child, some with Bert and Jimmy, and finally the good ones when I joined the clan.  Bert made the observation that in most of the later pictures he looked as if he were about to cry.  His analysis led him to believe that in the earlier pictures he had not been forced to share presents, food, or parents, so he was happy.  Then Jim and I came along, and he became increasingly distressed. The dinner crowd laughed; Jimmy and I failed to see the humor.

While I was not actually bothered by Bert’s comments, I was interested enough to see for myself if his remarks were true.  As I combed through the holiday albums, I realized he was right. But the sorrow had not only affected him.  I realized that as we had aged, sadness had crept into all of our faces. 

What had caused the sadness? Why did we look as if we had lost our last friend?  I have no idea.  I imagine it had something to do with spoiled children and sleep deprivation.  What I do know is that my parents did everything they could to keep Christ in Christmas. We attended church and Sunday school regularly, read the Christmas story from the Bible, sang in the choir, set up the manger scene, and sang Christmas carols to shut-ins.  But I guess that was not enough.   Even in the ‘50s and ‘60s that was hardly enough to combat the mass marketing coming across the air waves. When December 26 came, so did the emptiness.   It would be many years and credit cards later before I would understand that Sears, Hecks, Hills, and Wal-Mart were not to blame.  I was the one who hadn’t put Christ first. 

Take a minute to look at your photographs from Christmases past. Somewhere in the trees, presents, lights, and delicious food, do you see Christ? Do your children and grandchildren see Him? If He came back today, would He know whose birthday you were celebrating?  

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, you sent your son in a form we could understand. We love the idea of a tiny baby being born in a stable with loving parents and neighbors around.  Help us to remember that the baby would grow into a man who would take away the sins of the world.  That is the true Christmas picture.  Amen

Becky Warren