A CHRISTMAS STORY?

These thoughts are added to each Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday)
(Scroll down to read previous thoughts)
(Use in your personal or church newsletters)

Most likely you have never thought of this visit of Jesus to the home of Mary and Martha as a Christmas story. But it is, you know.

Oh I know that Christmas wasn’t practiced then, but for the sake of a lesson that can be learned just imagine that it was…and that Christmas was no more than a day away, with Martha rushing around getting last minute things done.

All the while getting more and more irritated, and more and more irritating.

“The tree isn’t finished. There are cookies that need to be baked. The house still needs to be cleaned. There are presents that need wrapping. I can’t do everything myself.” I can hear her now. Complaints a mile wide and several hundred paranoia’s deep. The volume level increasing by the minute.

And then, in the midst of all this turmoil, in the midst of all of this lack of Christmas spirit in preparation for Christmas, what does her sister Mary do? She sits down with Jesus. Remember the story has been changed to make a point.

Gift time is close at hand and she gives the best gift of all…the gift of self. Martha is beside herself. And as she readies herself for an even greater explosion, Jesus seeks to quiet her, this Martha with flour on her nose and impatience in her heart.

“Martha, Martha,” He says, “I know there is much to do, but must you fret so much in the doing of it? Wouldn’t it be better if maybe you did a little less and became a little more?”
So to all the Marthas and their male counterparts this Christmas season I say, “Cool it.” If you are still hot and bothered from rushing around this last week and perhaps have arrived at this day before Christmas all weary and ragged; simmer down.

Give those you love the gift of patience. Give them the privilege of the best kind of person you really can be. Don’t ruin this very special evening.

And before you get up tomorrow morning, be sure you have gift-wrapped a forgiving, gentle, understanding heart.

Nor bring to your Christmas living room real or imagined hurts, or jealousies - all green and griping, or any other emotional aberrations that can ruin the day.

Just bring with you a prayer on your lips and a song in your heart. Not pouting or petty, but rather have some manger meaning in the way you act so it will then affect how you feel.

Yes, it is a Martha-world we live in. A busy world all filled with bills and job responsibilities and children with temptations earlier generations never faced.

And therefore, moms and dads and children sometimes get a little hyperactive. And selfish and self-centered. And develop a what’s-in-it-for-me attitude.

But you see, it is one thing to go to the stable and find a jackass. It is quite another to be one.

That is why I think you need to call a meeting with two in attendance - you and the Lord. And at that meeting set up a new agenda for living. A Christmas manifesto, if you will to whatever degree you need it.

And to whatever degree you are able and willing

- try to latch on to a little bit of simplicity again, if ever in your life you’ve had it.

- unclutter your lives of too much doing and having to make room for better being.

- break through nervousness with the peace that passeth understanding. If it wasn’t on your Christmas list it should have been. And Santa can’t give it to you, but Jesus can.

- realize that going down on your knees is an automatic slowdown that can work wonders.
- set Christmas morning as the first day of a new way of life.

SOME RECENT POSTINGS ON ONE A DAY YOUR SPIRITUAL VITAMINS

HAVE YOU GONE BLIND OR IS IT THAT YOU JUST HAVEN’T OPENED YOUR EYES (DEC 11)
THE IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING IMPORTANCE (Dec 10)
DON’T LOSE YOUR PRAYER WHILE PRAYING (DEC 9)

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Or type in the URL http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/

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