As we enter the last days of the Christmas season, my thoughts turn to previous Christmases. Some of the Christmas’s that are imprinted in my memory are the ones I spent as a Counsellor. I decide then to always remember that Christmas is not the season of hohohos and wonderful times with the family for everyone. This is loosely related to my thinking about authenticity. I think that it is a time of year when it is easy to become inauthentic, we can easily get caught up in the false jollity that is expected of us.
I want to call us to remember those for whom Christmas is not easy, those under financial strain who cannot afford gifts, those whose family is full of pain, tension and hate, those for whom Christmas brings back memories of past trauma or abuse, those who are having a first Christmas without a loved one or after a divorce, those who are alone and lonely, those on the other side of the world who could be fed for a month on what we consume in a day. Above all I want to call Christians to remember that this is not the season of overeating and overspending rather it is the season to remember that “the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14). Immanuel – God with us. There are many people this season that need reminding that God is with them. As Christians we must take this call seriously – I want to encourage you to make an effort to not become overwhelmed with the expectations and tasks that are on you, take the time to stop and look at what’s happening in the lives of those around you. Take the time to remind them that God is indeed with them this Christmas.
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