Wal-mart, Debt, and Hope

You know it's Christmas time when the headlines start reading:

"Wal-mart employee gets trampled to death on Black Friday"

Obviously there is nothing funny about a man losing his life. And my heart breaks for his family. But it is times like this when I ask myself, "Really? This is the Christmas story? Is this what it is all about?"

I think every year we hear different opinions as to what "Christmas is really about". I am in no way suggesting that I have that all figured out. Although being on my own this year, away from my family and friends, has caused me to take a deeper look into this crazy time of year we call Christmas.

I'm no historian, but I'm pretty sure Jesus wasn't even born around this time. I've heard he was born around late August. It just happens to work better for our American "economic calender" to celebrate this holiday in December. I could be wrong.

Today I spent a good hour trying to remember some of the presents I recieved in past Christmas'. I know this would break my moms heart, but I can seriously remember about two gifts. Not counting the pajamas and underwear that my mom gets me every year. There are also a few other gifts that people have given me in the past that I am almost positive they found in their garage and wrapped the night before. ( I won't throw the first stone though, 'cause I have done that many of times.)

What is even crazier is that every year families fall deeper and deeper into debt because of this one holiday. From ipods to tvs, clothes to cars.... billions are spent on gifts during this time of year. And for what? To represnt the birth of Jesus Christ. To celebrate the hope of the world.

The bible is split up into two different parts; the old testament and the new testament. At the end of the old testament, we read about these people who are broken, hurting and hopeless. In fact, for 400 hundred years they wait to hear from God.

400 hundred years.

But they hear nothing. God is silent.

For years they heard about God sending a savior, a messiah, someone to rescue them from their oppression, hurt, pain, poverty and hopelessness. These people we're poor, they had nothing. They were desperate for someone to come and hear their cry.

And one night a baby is born.

God doesn't send an army. He doesn't send a political leader. He doesn't send a rich man. He sends a baby. A baby...

Jesus grows up as a boy, learning to walk, read and write like all the other kids. He is probably teased like many of the others because of his family. He grows into a man that shares the problems of his community. Their problems are his problems. When they are hungry, he is hungry. When they are poor, he is poor. God is literally living right there with them. In fact some even called him "Emmanuel" or "God with us".

This man claimed that he came for the poor. He says that he came to comfort the sick and the oppressed. He told people who were "weary and heavy-hearted" to come to him. He said that people who were "poor in spirit" were blessed.

Think about this. For years these people are hopeless, living in a government, a kingdom, where only the rich succeed. Where you are only valuable if you have money and wealth. And all of a sudden this guy comes along who claims to be God and brings this whole new idea, this whole new mindset, this whole new kingdom to these people. A kingdom where the poor are loved, where the sick are taken care of, where love is replaces violence, where forgiveness and grace outweigh hatred and revenge.

This idea, this movement, this kingdom changed their world.

Finally, there was hope. There was a rescuer. There was someone who would look after the "least of these". There was a savior.

So here we are 2000 years later, trampling wal-mart employees, building our debt and watching a poor and hopeless world die. And I don't mean spiritually. I mean physically. Even as I type this people are dying because of weather, lack of food, medication and other preventable causes.

What if this Christmas we brought hope back for the hurting, poor and oppressed? What would the rest of the world think of these people who claim to follow Christ if we actually did things that Jesus did? What if we stopped building bigger buildings, buying ourselves more presents, and digging ourselves deeper into debt, and what if we actually lived just like Jesus did?

This Christmas, this year, this generation, there are people who are hurting. People who are sick, and oppressed and poor and hopeless. God isn't asking us to be more religious. He isn't asking us to do more rituals or build bigger buildings. God is inviting us to share in this new idea. A new mindset. A new kingdom.

God is asking us to bring this "kingdom of heaven", here to earth.

Maybe this Christmas you buy one less gift. You listen to someone who is hurting. You send some money to people around the world who don't have much food or any clean water.

This Christmas, as we remember the God who showed us grace and mercy, the God who saved us from hopelessness and hurt, may we give unconditionally to those around us. May we even bring hope.

Thanks for listening.