by Joe Baranowski
It was a frigid cold evening of Christmas shopping that began in the police lock up. As I sat shivering on the cold metal bench with my two grandchildren and their little friend next to me, my grandson of twelve pointed to the handcuffs attached to the bottom of the bench. My nine-year-old granddaughter and her friend smiled at the amused police officers as they entered the station. I started singing, “Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen…” We were there because I had failed to come to a complete stop at a stop sign and was driving on a recently expired license. After what seemed a long embarrassing time we were released with me being issued a ticket. This will naturally become a favorite Christmas memory for my grandkids, as they already joked about it over dinner last night.
Sadly, for some Christians, Christmas is a time of more unpleasant and harsh memories. A friend of ours lost her mom last Christmas. There are Christians among us who are without work and some are losing their homes. The multi-colored Christmas lights remind one hurting soul of the tavern lights where she would find her drunken father night after night. For someone else the season reminds him of the time his marriage ended. And there are many who feel all alone. For those that are hurting Christmas is more of a time of survival than celebration. And for every one that is in emotional pain there are many more who don’t know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They may be in bondage and not even know it. There are difficult moments when Christmas brings out the Charlie Brown in us and we ask, “What is Christmas all about? “
Under a spotlight, Linus quotes the second chapter of the Gospel according to Luke, verses 8 through 14 from the King James Version.
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”
“……And this is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”
