Traditions of Christmas may be harmless even generous. But a season of the approaching of Jesus may educate the heart as well in habits that draw the mind up to image, appetite, and control.
The Gospels depict Jesus repelling people, on numerous occasions, toward performative righteousness and hidden faithfulness, reconciliation, and consistent mercy. Christmas is more of a pressure on the contrary.
1. Converting generosity into content
Certain types of holiday giving, such as the donation photo, the volunteer selfie, the look what was delivered, have become a document of goodness. In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus specifically criticized this urge as it would be hypocritical to be righteous in order to be observed. Upon proofs of giving, the attention is no longer in the person in need, but it is in the reputation of the giver. Christmas makes that temptation even stronger as much of the acts of kindness are concentrated in a few weeks and photographed by the same feeds as parties and shopping lists.
2. Allowing the Black Friday to do the spiritual handiwork
To most families, the season is not marked by Advent or prayer, but a mad rush of deals, wish lists and shipping timetables. The cautionary words of Jesus who said that no man can serve two masters cuts right at this point and particularly at Matthew 6:24. Christmas celebrated with a consumption budget is training the heart to perceive Christmas as something obtained through spending, planning, and stock-up and not a gift with reverence.
3. Scoring in gift exchanges
Swaps and Secret Santa games in the office are almost always based on a set of rules that ensure fairness: there is a price ceiling, a wish list, a minimum value. According to a one poll survey quoted in the main article, 54% of American gift-givers engage in Secret Santa. Formal interactions may be enjoyable, whereas they immediately reduce the act of giving to math the who gave what, who matched the effort, who came through. Jesus gave another path to generosity in Luke 14: 12-14 where gifts are not based on return. Grace fades silently when equity is set to be the aim.
4. Attending worship without making peace
The services during Christmas may be a favorite anchor, but family friction usually rides in the same car to church. In Matthew 5:2324, Jesus said: make brother and sister right; otherwise, before you give your gift at the altar, make amends. The busy schedule of the season may legitimize conflict that goes unresolved, and the rituals go on as usual. The Gospel pattern turns that about- the restoration of relationships is not an add-on to the worship process.
5. Making alcohol the social engine
Numerous parties presuppose the alcohol consumption as the ultimate means of celebration and communion. The key article reports the study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism which revealed that the consumption of alcohol is at the highest point during the festive season.
Jesus in Luke 21:34, is not referring to hearts burdened by dissipation and drunkenness as a minor social problem, but as a spiritual deadening, which makes individuals less vigilant and less liberated. Once drink-first Christmas, it is more difficult to be attentive to God and neighbor.
6. Holiday tipping is being treated as an alternative to annual care
The additional tipping of December may be a good gesture of appreciating those who serve others when they are in trouble. However, the primary article cites a study in the International Journal of Hospitality Management which indicates that Americans are expected to tip more during the holidays, in some cases standing in place of generosity in the remaining months. A consistent, incarnate mercy, is emphasized in the vision of Jesus in Matthew 25:35-40, where there is worry about people who are hungry, thirsty, ignored or exhausted. The benignity of the seasons is well, except that it diminishes in January.
7. Lacking the submissiveness of Christmas
A lot of traditions are about nostalgia, glitter and sentimental scenes but the New Testament comes closer: Christmas proclaims the incarnation- God in flesh and the humble nature of Christ. It is contextualized by a sermon on Philippians 2 which teaches the call of Paul, saying, Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, which is the pattern of self-emptying service (Philippians 2:58). Having made Christmas about status in the form of hosting perfection, formulating decor, managing family image, the season is no longer about the One who in the form of a bond-servant made himself low. It is not to take away the joy, but to regain the pose the tale requires.
These practices do not make anyone believe that their faith is minor. They merely show how readily a season of the year makes people of a seasonal kind. Christmas has provided an annual opportunity to observe what is forming the heart and to have the forms of Jesus more influential than the apprehensions of a season.
