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 \  /    HEARTLIGHT(R) Magazine   --   http://www.heartlight.org/
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December 21, 2003

Santa is still strong this time of year. So are Rudolph, Prancer, and
the other reindeer. Frosty is good. I've even seen larger-than-life
replicas of The Grinch of Whoville. But, it seems increasingly
difficult to find shepherds and angels. Where are the Wise Men? What
became of Joseph and Mary? Does anyone else recall when Jesus was
center stage during this holiday season?

Did I just say "holiday season"? Why, there's another evidence of our
loss. What used to be "Merry Christmas!" is now more often just "Happy
Holidays!" A penchant for political correctness has taken us to the
point that strangers to our culture would hardly guess there was once a
religious motif to this time of year.

It was years ago now that columnist Dave Barry wrote: "To avoid
offending anybody, the schools dropped religion altogether and started
singing about the weather. At my son's school, they now hold the winter
program in February and sing increasingly non-memorable songs such as
'Winter Wonderland,' 'Frosty the Snowman' and -- this is a real song --
'Suzy Snowflake,' all of which is pretty funny since we live in Miami.
A visitor from another planet would assume that the children belonged
to the Church of Meteorology."

In trying not to offend in the year 2003, a music teacher in Bethel,
Washington, replaced the word "Christmas" with "winter" in a recent
elementary school concert. Although a few parents were offended by his
action, school officials backed the teacher. Thus Christmas carols
became holiday jingles.

You might simply glance over the selection of
greeting cards in your favorite store. My guess is that you'll find
what I've detected. Some stores don't even stock cards with a religious
theme -- Star over Bethlehem, Madonna and child, Baby Jesus in a
manger. Christmas has been sanitized. It has been stripped of its
historic connection to Jesus Christ. It is a "secular" holiday.

There is no biblical commandment requiring Christians to celebrate
Mothers Day, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. But, Paul does lay down the
principle that any holiday Christians elect to keep should be
celebrated "in honor of the Lord" (Romans 14:5-6). So I'm not
suggesting that you tear down the secular trappings of the season. If
you do honor this holiday, however, do so with holy intent. Sing of
Jesus. Read of Bethlehem. Tell the real Christ story and not just the
one about Winter Wonderland.

The spiritual root of Christmas lies deep in God's love. Its fruit is
borne by generous hearts, confessing lips, and surrendered lives during
this holy time of year.

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  (c) 2003 From Rubel Shelly's "FAX of Life"
  printed each Tuesday. See Faith Matters