Don't Push My Buttons

But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39 NIV

The tension in the room grew deeper as one after another began to feed on each other's anger. Why is it when someone gets angry the rest of us want to follow?

This reminds me of a demonstration a friend of mine used to do to show her kids how easy it is for anger to grow. She'd slap one hand and then the other until soon the hands were fighting, and then she'd show a different way. Again she'd slap her one hand, but instead of the other slapping back it would softly pat the other hand until soon neither hand one be slapping-all would be calm.

At times when trying to discipline the kids in my care, I will have to yell at a child who is doing wrong and of course he/she will deny any wrong doing. Soon I find myself in a debate with this child and my anger is rising. I've fallen into the slapping hands trap. I find it much calmer to say what I need to say and leave it there, if the child continues then a time-out trip is in order.

The other night my husband found himself in this trap. When turning into an intersection, he failed to see a person trying to catch the left turn light. He ended up cutting off this driver. The driver of the other car blared his horn and flashed his lights while we waiting for the next light to turn green. After my husband proceeded to go all was well until 1/2 mile down the road when the driver he had cut off decided to pull in front of us slamming on his brakes. Luckily, he was able to stop in time. Instead of just letting it go though, my husband decided to blast his horn and flash his lights.

Why do we feel the need to retaliate? Why can't we just turn the other cheek? Why can't we softly pat back?

Jesus clearly tells us to resist the evil by not falling into the temptation of retaliation. Still there is something in us that pulls us to be in the right, no matter the circumstance.

As hard as it maybe I am going to continue to try and turn the other cheek, and let God deal with those who push my buttons.

Be Good for Goodness Sakes

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

This morning the news showed a billboard that the American Atheists have displayed. It shows Santa telling people, "Go ahead skip church! Just be good for goodness' sake. Happy Holidays!"

I find this rather funny because to have Santa on the billboard means an acknowledgement of Christmas, because Santa comes on Christmas. To acknowledge Christmas one must admit that God sent a baby as a gift for all of us.

They're website says, "We want people to know that going to church has absolutely nothing with being a good person. The things that are most important during the holiday season--spending time with loved ones, charity, and being merry--having nothing to do with religion."

True enough one doesn't need to go to church to be a good person. There are plenty of people out there. Good people who have never set foot in a church. The point of attending church though is to be with other believers and worship God. To a group who doesn't acknowledge God this would be hard to understand. A belief in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit just helps us to get through the hard times.

The news also shared about a group of teenagers who were in an accident last night, ironically they were on their way to church. Unfortunately, one of the teenagers lost his life and the two others are clinging to life. The father of the teen who died shared on Facebook about his devastation and how he will cling to his faith that one day they will be together again in the arms of Jesus.

That's what this season is really about faith, hope, and love.  It's not about religion. Jesus wasn't born a Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran or Catholic. Jesus was born a Jew in a stable. He is the promised Messiah the one God told Isaiah, Micah, and Zechariah to tell about. He was born just as God said. He is God's gift of love.

He came to become the sacrificial lamb, so that we could enter heaven when we die. Then we can be in the arms of Jesus and be reunited with those who believed and accepted before us. That's what our hope is.

We celebrate Christmas because we have a faith, a belief in things not seen or have to be proven. So that's why we go to church to worship our God and celebrate all that He has done for us. Because we know we can never be good enough no matter how good we are. We understand there are good people in all walks of life just like there are bad people in all walks of life.

So this Christmas I will be in church not because of religion but because of faith. I will indeed be celebrating with loved ones, giving to charities, and well being Merry not because of an obligation but because I believe!
So Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

No Decorations

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:6-7 NIV

A barn, a stable, a cave...whatever it was it was a place for animals to be protected. There wasn't a Christmas tree or stockings hung by a chimney with care. There was sheep, most likely a donkey, possibly a cow, and whatever other animals who were someone's property. There were no twinkling lights and no Santa.

Just a husband and his wife giving birth to a baby. Not just any baby, but the promised baby who would one day save the world.

This is indeed my favorite time of year. I love to go through the boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations we have collected over the years. I enjoy looking at each ornament as I place them on the tree remembering when my children were little. Christmas bears once again fill my living room. The house once again smells of pine.

Decorating can be a lot of fun, maybe that's why some of us like to start before Thanksgiving has even come. We just can't wait to get our house ready. But what are we getting it ready for? The expectation of an elf or Santa? Or are we getting it ready to remember that first Christmas so long ago?

It's great to see people excited for Christmas. It is a special day. It'd be great though if the excitement could last past December 25, because really that is just the beginning of the Christmas season. It really should last until at least Three Kings Day. A day when we remember the wisemen visiting Jesus with gifts.

We shouldn't be ready to pack the decorations away just as soon as December 25th is done. We should allow the excitement to continue through at least the New Year. After all a birth of a baby is worth celebrating a few days at least.