Is it me or is there something seriously wrong when a company makes over 50% of its profits in the 3rd quarter?  Are we really that consumer driven as a society?  Is that what Christmas really means to America?  Spend your cash or take out credit and “help” the economy? 

Is that really what we have made it? Are we really that worried that aunt sally won’t like us if we don’t buy her a toaster?  Our kids won’t have anything to brag about if we don’t buy them the latest video game accessories for Christmas?

I know families who go into debt every year to “buy Christmas” and spend the entirety of the next year paying it off.  Others are a little better at planning and so they set up a Christmas club account.  Threaten not to buy presents this year and in some families you will be disowned (or at least it will feel like it). Because Christmas is all about the gifts, right? I mean it wouldn’t be Christmas without the gifts, would it?

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not against gifts.  I’m against Idols.  If Christmas isn’t “Christmas” without the gifts, then you are worshiping the wrong person come December 25th.  It might be your aunt sally who will threaten to disown you and collapsin a pile of tears if you don’t get her anything.  It might be the imaginary judgments made by your kids friends and parents when they hear that you didn’t get little johnny or Suzie everything on their little Christmas list.  It might be the reporter who shares that sales were still down this year.  It might be the little voice inside your head that tells you that people won’t like you if you don’t give them gifts.

You might say, “I give gifts to honor Jesus.” That’s right, we do celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. Jesus who stepped out of heaven, came to earth and was born practically homeless and in the care of teenagers. Jesus who humbled Himself and gave Himself as a sacrifice for our sins.  We owed a debt we couldn’t pay and He payed a debt He didn’t owe.  Jesus. 

If we would truly honor Him, then lets give as He gave.  Give to those who cannot repay you.  And don’t just give them the left-overs, give them the lion share.  Fill the shoebox for your kid and give the rest away to those who have no way of paying you back.  I think the folks at Adventconspiracy.org are on to something.  Check out the video below.

For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. – Matthew 5:46-48