The Light of Christmas

I am getting slightly ahead of myself, skipping Thanksgiving, moving on to Christmas, but this year I am co-coordinator for a grand celebration, "Christmas at the Academy", at The King's Academy in Seymour, Tennessee, December 15 and 16 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. All are invited to drive-thru and enjoy the lights of the season and "Joy to the World." Because of this, my mind is on Christmas a bit early this year, . . . but why not celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas every day of the year?

Light . . . That’s what Christmas means to me. Light. Even in childhood, Christmas had that magical twinkly-ness about it. It wasn’t just the magic of Santa Claus, though, or the magic of presents for me under the twinkly tree. No, the true magic was that God, the Son, left the glories of heaven to enter the darkness of a fallen world for the purpose of bringing us light.

Although the Old Masters usually depict Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus with glowing auras, I don’t believe human eyes saw any unusual light in the stable the night that Jesus was born. But, in the field where humble shepherds watched over the sacrificial lambs, there was a great light as an angel of the LORD announced that the Savior, the Messiah, the Promised One had come. Heaven couldn’t contain the rejoicing angels as they burst into praise.

Then there was the light of an unusually bright star guiding the wise men to the humble home of the new King. Another light.

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin. The Light of the world is Jesus.

Some years ago, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I received a lesson on light. I was returning from delivering my daughter back to Carson-Newman College. I always felt gloomy on that return trip, but I was especially glum that day, feeling the weight of my inadequacies and mediocrity. I was feeling as ugly as the black telephone wires which scribble across the East Tennessee landscape, marring the beauty.

I turned on to Highway 11E and was suddenly amazed to see the setting sun reflecting off of those same ugly telephone wires, lighting them up like strings of Christmas lights stretching on for miles. Jefferson City couldn’t have been more beautiful in that instant. It seemed God whispered to me, “See, even common things are glorious when they reflect my light.”

Then it dawned on me: I am mediocre and common, but if I reflect the “Son-light” of His love, I can light my world, too.

The whole trip home that day was a study in light. Signs reflected the light. The muddy brown Holston River was blinding in the radiance of reflected light. Even the shattered glass and shards of plastic from recent fender benders shone like jewels on the pavement.

With the setting sun, the light faded and the brilliance was gone, and I realized that the beauty only lasts for as long as the light shines. But, the LORD seemed to remind me that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His light never fades. We can reflect His light and love as long as we are in a reflecting position.

The whole world is lost in the darkness of sin. The light of the world is Jesus. We are blessed to be able to reflect His light as long as we remain in right relationship with Him. And, that is what Christmas means to me all year long.