Seeking, Finding, and Teaching About Our Christmas Gift

During the Christmas season, many of us search. We search for the perfect gift, the right outfit for the office party, or the cutest pictures to share on our Christmas cards. For many it can also be a futile search for happiness. People search for Christmas “magic,” possibly trying to recapture a feeling from long ago, days remembered through the rose-colored glasses of time. And for many, it is a fruitless search, a search for something that doesn’t exist.

The true search that many overlook, or from which they turn away (often due to the actions of others), is the search for a genuine relationship with God. The meaning of the event of Christmas is obvious to Christians. We don’t know Jesus’ exact birthday, but we celebrate it on December 25. We celebrate the birth of our Savior. We might think that’s enough in and of itself, but as humans, we need to develop in our faith, a faith that goes beyond the celebration of this miracle.

As Jesus developed spiritually – illustrated by the scene at the temple described in Luke 2:41-52 – we also need to develop spiritually. This is part of the search in which we are engaged when we seek a deeper relationship with God. The boy Jesus did it; we should too. But how does it happen?

When a person comes to accept the gift of salvation through belief in Jesus Christ, that is just the beginning of a lifelong journey. The new believer will study scripture, attend worship, pray, and come together in community with other believers. And just as older, more experienced people teach and mentor peers in other areas of life – career, academics, hobbies, and volunteer activities come to mind – the new Christian needs to be developed in her faith. And that is where we sometimes fall short.

When we really mess up, we can drive people away. Rather than being a light to their path, we can be a stumbling block. Who wants to knowingly cause others to fall?

We can be a stumbling block. Who wants to cause others to fall?

When Paul wrote to the Colossians, the purpose of Colossians 3:12-17 was to describe the Christian life. It makes sense to consider this immediately after Christmas. After all, we have just received the eternal gift. How does it change us? What should we do now?

This short text describes life in the church and how we should act. Note the emphasis on unity and love enabled by patience and teaching, among other attributes and acts. Put simply, a mature Christian, anyone who is further along in his faith journey, has an obligation to help others understand the faith. As important, the mature Christian is to make the new believer welcome, helping her or him realize that the search is moving in the right direction.

Rather than judging, we must be patient. Rather than excluding, we are to be inclusive. We are to help everyone – not just those who look and think like us – come to know the peace of Christ, the joy that comes with the gift of our King, born in Bethlehem.

Seek those who need your help. Welcome and guide them.

What were you searching for this Christmas? How about those around you? If you are a seeker, find a patient teacher who will love you and help you grow. If you have found Christ, seek those who need your help. It will make an eternal difference and success for us all in our life-long searches for ways to strengthen our relationships with God and others.

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This piece is based on the Common Lectionary texts for Sunday, December 30, 2018 (Year C in the three-year lectionary cycle). Texts: Luke 2:41-52 and Colossians 3:12-17.

I hope you find these thoughts helpful as you progress in your journey. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Please share in the comments box below. I will respond to all.

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