By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
Songs like Silent Night, Joy to the World and Come All Ye Faithful are timeless classics that celebrate this time of the year. Our spirits are lifted when we hear them.
Listening to them makes us realize how far we have come and how far we must go. When Christmas comes every year, I am more reflective about them now.
As a boy, my parents convinced me that Santa Claus was coming to our town and that there really was a naughty or nice list. Of course, I put out milk and cookies for him on Christmas Eve.
Well, when I woke up on Christmas Day, the milk and cookies were gone. Only crumbs were left on the table. Of course, I did have some questions about Santa, but I didn’t dare ask them.
My parents taught me about the importance of Christmas from a biblical perspective. I knew about the Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the city of Bethlehem. So, my upbringing was Christian-centered and early on I knew the meaning of Christmas. My friends and I went to an elementary school where we had religion classes and prayed each day.
I was blessed to have had a Christian environment in both my home and at school. I never thought much about the significance of it at the time. Now I do.
It is difficult to get little children during this time to understand the importance of the Christmas season. While it is, as parents and grandparents, we must be the truth tellers about this holiday season.
Places of worship give us the biblical foundation and perspective through the scriptures. They give us the needed interpretation of what happened during this period.
Reverend Ajani K. Gibson, pastor of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in New Orleans Louisiana has been giving us messages of spiritual guidance and fulfillment during this Advent Season.
In his sermon on Sunday, December 21st, he began by saying, “Hope is on the way”. The theme of his message was that the birth of Jesus brought hope to the world. That is the good news of the season.
Christmas is a time of fellowship and thanksgiving. As we grow older and gain wisdom, gifts become less important.
Enjoying each other’s company and reflecting upon childhood memories become more satisfying. Listening to others talk about their Christmas experiences is both fun and interesting. For example, a northern Christmas will most likely feature snow and of course making a snowman. A southern Christmas might be celebrated in 70-degree weather, and a western Christmas might be celebrated on the beach.
The weather in my hometown of Winston-Salem North Carolina during Christmas was usually cold. Every child in my East Winston neighborhood got a pair of union skates, and some other presents.
Getting clothes was something our parents got for us. We didn’t necessarily ask for a pair of Buster Brown shoes or a pair of pants. I guess at that age, we didn’t know what we needed. My growing up during this time was care-free and joyous. We took being blessed for granted.
Some of my friends and I have lengthy conversations about our Christmas times. We are now on the cusp of being in overtime in our lives. As a result, our memories create smiles and happy hearts.
We must know who is in charge and it is not us. It is Christ, the solid rock that we must stand on as this Christmas season is upon us. Caring, faith and love must be words that people see in us when we are with them. They must anchor us during both the good and the challenging times.
Read about the power of prayer in James chapter 5 and verse 16. Prayer is powerful as we move through this life. Jesus Christ was born for us. Let us honor Him during this season.