Dialing Down Our Bah-hum-bug Meter

"Tis the season to be jolly...fa, la, la, la, la, la - la, la...blaahhh..."

Not all of us are feeling all that jolly this time of year, are we? Frankly many of us who hold strong convictions about being true to what God's Word teaches find much in this season about which to be downright cynical.

The empty hype, the commercialism, the rituals and timing of the season adopted so blatantly and obviously from ancient pagan rituals; all of it has many of us muttering a collective "bah-humbug".

It's very easy this time of year to wear our cynicism on our sleeve and to feel, well, somewhat smug in our spiritual correctness, isn't it?

Could it be that, while sulking in our cynical smugness, we actually miss opportunities to witness the true gospel of Jesus Christ?

"Now wait just a doggone minute! You're not suggesting that we start erecting Christmas trees in our living rooms or singing Christmas carols around the neighborhood are you?!"

Absolutely not.

In Jeremiah 10 God commands us to "learn not the way of the heathen." God hates the worship of pagan idols. God detests all things pagan, and we should as well.

So, you're not about to see a tree in my window or a glowing plastic Santa anywhere on my property.

But, having said that, there is a way of approaching this season that, while not compromising our conviction against participating in it's pagan practices, allows us to use the core intent of the season to advance the truth of the gospel.

In Acts 17:22-23 is the recounting of Paul's preaching on Mars Hill.

"Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus..."

Here he was, standing among carved idols in the midst of a city wholly given over to pagan worship. Now, Paul had some choices didn't he? I'm sure that as he stood there next to that pagan idol his bah-hum bug meter was off the charts. He could have easily let his disgust for all that is pagan take over.

Instead, he chose to take a decidedly different approach.

"...and [Paul] said, 'Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription:

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.

Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:'"

Rather than launch into a full frontal assault on the evils of idolatry, Paul made a conscious decision to focus on what he was for, rather than on what he was against. He dialed down his bah-hum bug meter and used the opportunity the moment presented to witness to the Gospel.

His example is instructive for you and I.

In Luke 2:10 we read, "Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

If you're like me, when you read this passage, especially during this season, your "bah-hum-bug" meter elevates a little. If it weren't for the fact that it's...uh...in the Bible, it might be tempting to reject it outright as just more Protestant Christmas drivel. But it really is a very meaningful, powerful passage. And, if we choose to tone down our "bah-hum-bug" meters just a little, we might even see our way to actually use this passage as our own Mars Hill moment.

How?

Most Christians during this season focus on the baby in the manger, don't they? They read passages like this one see only the "there is born to you this day...a Savior" part while overlooking or downplaying the meaning of the powerful words that follow which declare Him as "Jesus Christ the Lord."

And really, that is much of the problem with modern Christianities approach to the gospel. Focusing only on the loving, merciful, accepting and forgiving aspect of the gospel but failing to acknowledge Him as Lord of their lives. For many of our Christian brothers and sisters, the concepts of obedience, striving to overcome our sinful natures, preparing for His second coming as Lord of Lords and King of Kings is just not part of the lexicon of this season, let alone the rest of the year for that matter.

And therein lies our greatest opportunity for sharing the gospel. In that omission lies our Mars Hill moment.

Who knows if, rather than turning others off by our sour demeanor and cynical attitude, we might be used as tools in God's hands this season to bring tidings of even greater joy to someone whose eyes God might be opening to understand His plan as revealed in the full Gospel.

It's possible, but only if we make the conscious decision to take advantage of the Mars Hill moments this season may provide. Only if we determine to, ever so slightly, dial down our bah-humbug meter. 

Small Choices, Big Consequences

I faced a moral conundrum while standing in front of the pop machine at work the other day.

Now, I know there may be some health purists who would argue that the act of standing in front of a pop machine is evidence of moral failing, in and of itself. Let's set that issue aside for the moment.

This particular pop machine has one quirky, some would say delightful, feature.  Upon depositing your money and pressing the button, the drink you selected will be delivered. However, if you quickly follow your first press with a second, there's about a 50% chance you'll be rewarded with a second drink, gratis.

Throughout the day, my fellow employees make their way to the break room with the same anticipation one would display entering a Vegas casino.  It's not uncommon to hear exclamations of "SWEEET!!" and "BONUS!!" emanating from behind the break room door.

While this machine offers a little excitement and diversion during an otherwise hum drum work day, for me, it presents a spiritual dilemma. It's that dilemma I found myself contemplating as I stood before it with my finger on the button. Would  pressing it a second time, with full knowledge of what might occur, constitute a clear breaking of the command not to steal? Or, is fretting about such minor matters really being too trivial...even Pharisaical?

I believe a reading of James 2:10 provides the answer, "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point,he is guilty of all."

There are a multitude of small moral choices that you and I make every day of our lives.  If we really stop to consider how often we fail in these small moral choices, I think we'd be overwhelmed with the degree of our shortcomings. We are all "guilty of all" aren't we? Hence the need for a Savior.

We typically associate the defining moments that shape our character with life's large trials and obstacles-- a financial crisis, the onset of illness, or a disability. What I believe this passage in James 2 tells us is that its the little choices we make, each and every day, that either help or hurt our ability to meet and overcome the bigger challenges and trials we face.

That's really the lesson of so many of the moral failings we read of in God's Word, isn't it?

Eve wouldn't have eaten the apple had she not wandered too close to the tree.
Esau may not have sold his birthright had he not given in to the grumbling in his stomach.
David wouldn't have killed Uriah had he not dwelt too long on the balcony.

Sadly, none of these examples crossed my mind as I stood in front of our break room "slot machine" that afternoon. If they had, perhaps I wouldn't have so quickly pushed the button a second time. If you had been in my office at that moment, you would have been witness to the resounding testimony of my moral failing emanating through the break room door....."SWEEEET!!".

But then, suddenly stricken with the sinfulness of my action, I was faced with yet another vexing spiritual dilemma. Should I now enjoy the spoils of my ill gotten gain or donate it to someone else?  But oh.....how cold and refreshing that drink looked there in my hand....

Arrrgh...O wretched man that I am!