Tom Mills on Christmas

This morning I met again with the men

who get together with me

early on Tuesday mornings.

We read and discussed

how Jesus healed the demoniac

in Luke chapter 8.

Then we talked about the hustle-bustle of Christmas,

and how this flurry of activity (even church activity)

can keep us from true worship.

My friend Tom Mills was part of this discussion.

Then later he sent this e-mail,

            which I have permission to share with you:

“To expand on the Christmas hype conversation

at the end of today’s study:

If we are to look at the life of Jesus

as our beacon of how to live ours,

let’s start with His birth.

The king of the universe wasn’t welcomed

into this world with majesty,

bright lights and parades.

Hardly majestic, very cold and dark,

no tinsel or music and dancing.

He was born on the manure-laden dirt floor

of a cold, filthy stable, in the midst of the mundane;

farm animals,

a virgin teenager, a lowly carpenter

and smelly, sweaty shepherds. 

Not in the presence of kings and queens

and people of high regard,

just family and newly acquired friends.

Mary didn’t choose that,

Joseph didn’t choose it either. 

God did. 

If this is how he brought His son into our world,

why would He want us

making a huge production of the season now? 

It just seems to me and my measly, tiny little brain

that we do what we do during this season

for us, not for Him. 

The lights, parties, shopping helps make us feel better

about who we are in the world

by connecting it to His birth

through the special season of Christmas. 

I am also a participant in this, and must admit enjoy most of it,

but the older I get the more I think we should be

connecting this to His birth without the hype

and through the reason for the season. 

And that should be celebrated everyday. 

If you stop and think of what God really did for us

on Christmas morning,

it is really un-believable!

How many of you would send your only son

away from your presence for a cause like us? 

Not me! 

And God knew what He sent His son here to ultimately do,

NO WAY! 

We allow the clutter and clamber

of what this world thinks Christmas should be

to cloud our view of it.

Wash off the “make-up” of Christmas

and see the true beauty beneath –

it’s there and nothing can compare.

Merry Christmas my friends!

Tom Mills.”