I have often thought to myself (and occasionally mentioned out loud to others) that “This Christianity thing would be just about perfect if it wasn’t for the people!”, and depending on the time or the circumstance I’m either having a laugh or I’m not joking at all. People are unique among God’s creatures. It is said of no other creation ...
God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them
reflecting our nature so they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
the birds in the air, the cattle, and, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
"God created human beings; he created them godlike, Reflecting God’s nature. He created them male and female. God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.” Gen:26-28 Message
And that is just what we did! We reproduced and filled the Earth; we took charge and prospered! We haven’t done so great at being responsible for all of the other living creatures nor for the Earth itself, but after all, we’re only human, right?
Ah, humanity! So clever, and tenacious, and curious! So full of energy, and creativity! So many ideas! On the other hand, so twisted by sin, so scarred by the Fall, so self-serving and fearful of so many things; so greedy and destructive. To be human is to be all of these things and more!
People are the reason that Christianity is only almost perfect. People are also the reason that Christ was born, lived a sinless life, was unjustly tried convicted, and crucified and people are the reason He was raised from death. For better or worse, people are the reason that Christianity is! So perhaps Christianity really is perfect after all!
Pressing on, one of the most clever ideas mankind came up with in order to fulfill the “prosper” part of God’s blessing was something which we in America like to call Free Market Capitalism based on the working theory that market demand for certain things sets the price and production of those things. The market encourages the manufacturers to create better, more captivating products and more reasons to buy these new, better things, thus making the buyers happy and the manufacturers and sellers happier yet, but everyone comes out feeling like they have prospered.
While that may seem like a detour, or bunny trail if you will, there really is a madness in my method. Allow me to briefly continue this train of thought, and you will see how it applies.
In an effort to get people to buy things and keep the prosperity going, commercialization and advertising (sometimes false) came about. Smoking, which can kill you, was advertised and rugged and manly. Oral hygiene, which though decidedly unglamorous would help you keep teeth in your head, was advertised as sexy and made one desirable. Christmas and Easter, holidays where the followers of Jesus observed the birth, death, and resurrection of their Savior, (and neither of which to my mind naturally lend themselves to gift-giving) somehow became two of the most commercial holidays of the year! The birth of Christ is now represented by a white-haired man in a red suit delivering “gifts to deserving little boys and girls” out of a bag carried in a sleigh powered by flying reindeer. The days commemorating Christ’s death and more specifically His rising from the dead is now known as Easter and is for some reason represented by a rabbit that hides painted hard-boiled or candy-filled eggs from children so they can find as many as they can and get sick from too much sugar. Mostly these versions of “Holy Days” are an appeal to men, women, and children’s baser desires rather than their spiritual side. Help us, Lord!! Oh, that’s right, He did!
I love Christmas time! Not the commercial aspects of it; the glut of Hallmark movies, the profligate spending, the overeating, the family traditions. Call me Scrooge, but that stuff is the least important aspect of Christmas, in fact, it is a little frustrating in that the real meaning of Christmas is hidden behind all the glitter and noise. Much as it always has been I guess. But I love Easter best of all! The return of the King from the dead!
Christmas is great. Mankind’s savior was born!
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
which is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11 KJV
And His death is just as great! The sacrifice was paid!
"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." Romans 5:6-8
But the resurrection is the best! The payment was accepted!
"I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me." 1 Corinthians 15:3-10 KJV
The Rabbit or The Resurrection? Give me The Resurrection every time!
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