Christmas: When We Remember

that things aren't as they should be yet

Photo by Dan Kiefer on Unsplash

Is there any other time of year when we're more acutely aware of how things ought to be and that things are not that way? 

Christmas is a time for family gatherings, and yet our family members are scattered or deceased or not speaking to one another or, when they do speak, there are resentful undertones or jealous insinuations. 

Christmas is when abundance is celebrated, and yet is there any other time when non-profit organizations so frequently direct our attention to refugees, orphans, widows, and the hungry? How can I celebrate abundance when so many have nearly nothing?

Christmas is when we consider others and buy them gifts, and yet is there any other time of year when we feel so unfamiliar with people's tastes or wants? Is so-and-so gluten free? Do they even use paper calendars anymore? 

And if at Christmas, we're most aware that things are not as they should be, then this is the best time of year to remember a Savior who can provide an eternally-loving family, feed and supply the needs of all the vulnerable, and who can satisfy all our deep-rooted desires much better than a $50 gift card can. 

Christmas wasn't meant to be the time to feel guilty for all we can't or won't do, but rather the time when we remember someone greater and stronger and more loving who wants to transform our hearts and include us in his work of loving others.