So, does this mean I can't take red Solo cups to the Christmas party?

I thought I would apply a gaudy Christmasy look to my blog for the season. It's not so much that I hope you like it, I just hope you can tolerate it for a couple of months.


So Starbucks doesn't have decent Christmas cups this year. Well . . . I don't think they call them Christmas cups anyway. And some folks are in an uproar. If I owned a coffee shop and I thought all this cup stuff mattered I would put a banner out front and do as much marketing as I could on the theme "Christmas Coffee in Christmas Cups" - something like that anyway. And you know what I'd be doing? I'd be doing my best to sell as much coffee and expand my customer base over the next 2 months as I could. That is what I should do as a merchant, but that is ALL I would be doing . . . selling coffee . . . because Christmas customers want Christmas marketing during Christmas.

Of course Christians want to keep Christ in Christmas! Christ is what Christmas is all about. And, yes, I kind of resent it when every retailer around here wants me to do my Christmas shopping with them but they won't do me the courtesy of allowing their employees to greet me or reply to my "Merry Christmas" with a "Merry Christmas" of their own. Instead of allowing them to say it, they force them not to say it.

BUT, that resentment should not translate into a resentment that everyone I come into contact with is not a Christian. I wish they were. God would be so happy and pleased if they were. But they're not. And I'm not assuming that everyone who doesn't shout "Merry Christmas" and put my coffee in an "appropriate-for-the-season" cup is not one of my brothers or sisters.

But, for those who aren't, how are they to become Christian?

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

And how is this to happen?

"But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” Romans 10:14-15

Christmas Time, this season, is a happy joyful time for many. We look forward to it and anticipate all that comes with it. It also is a hard, sad, tearful, hurtful time for many. They dread it. 

So what do we do? "We" being Christians? Do we act mad and resentful because not everyone celebrates Christmas the way we do? We celebrate the way we do because of what we  have. How are "they" going to celebrate something that they don't have? Do we act ugly because someone hands us a red and green non-snowflaked cup? (the nerve!!!) Do we scowl at the lady checking us out who would so much more enjoy the season if she weren't afraid that she would lose her job for saying "Merry Christmas"? I'm sure as many miss saying it as we do hearing it.

As Christians we are to spread the joy of Christ, not anger and resentment over those who are where we were! All of us out there buying and selling all that stuff no one really needs need the same thing. Don't bow up at people who don't share what they don't have. It's "them" who should bow up at "us" for not sharing what we do have! (Can you imagine how mad they would be if they knew what we didn't tell them?)

So it chaps your hide. It does mine. Take care of that in private, get over it, and get out and show people what Christ is all about in your life. Don't show your mad face. (I found out yesterday, in a restaurant, that I have a "I'm-ready-to-go" face.) Let Christ, who is in your heart, show on your face, and in your words and actions. Love everybody. If you can't do that you might need someone to be doing more for you than wishing you a Merry Christmas!

So . . . Merry Christmas!!!   And you have to watch the video. I can't believe I found this today of all days!!

Connected,
Dennis