Jan 15, 2021
By Katrina Goodrich
Women’s Society
2,000 and some odd years ago, God’s plan to save humanity from eternal separation from Him went from potential to action. His son came to Earth, not in the form of a warrior, but as a baby—not to smite and fight but to lovingly lead people unto Himself and His Father. He was much anticipated, but not what was expected. Jesus was God’s plan for the redemption of humanity, the anticipation of which we celebrate at Christmas and its fulfillment at Easter.
Some friends and I were having a discussion recently about how bittersweet the holidays tend to become as you get older. It started when I remarked that “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is one of my favorites. My friend looked at me and said, “but that song is so sad…on second thought it makes sense.” Christmas just doesn’t hit the same after time changes things on the mortal plane. There is a certain bittersweetness in the victory of Christ’s birth. We know that He and the Father knew what was going to happen—there were big thorns that came with the roses.
It’s easy to gloss over the dirty bits of life because we have hope for the future; but what about our hope for today? This year has been a rough one. Across the world we’ve had to deal with a pandemic, civil unrest, natural disasters and, here in the US, an election gone off the rails polarizing the citizens of this country. The Christian answer to all of this depends on who you ask. Wear a mask; don’t wear a mask; vote red; vote blue. While the answers are important, I don’t think they’re as important as the manner in which they’re given and how we treat those who disagree with us. Lots of people disagreed with Jesus and in most cases He treated even those who mocked Him with compassion and a listening ear.
I must do better (we must do better) to live like Jesus year-round. Right now, when a non-Christian looks at us—they don’t see Jesus. They see hate and division; right or wrong, intended or not. They see our Facebook posts, vitriol and condemnation, our expectation that they conform to religious expectations before they can be accepted into the fold. This didn’t begin in 2020. Unfortunately, these sentiments have been there for a long time.
Buckle up, we have work to do. We can’t force other people to be more like Christ, but we sure can focus on being more like Him ourselves—not just adopting His ideas and commandments, but also the way He treated people and acted. I can think of at least twenty times today where I’ve failed. But it’s like I tell my students: “All I ask is that you try, and then, one day if you keep trying, you’ll get it.” It isn’t easy to respond to people like Jesus did/would especially when they are antagonizing you either deliberately or indirectly.
Right now, the Christmas season is upon us and usually things look a little brighter, and a little better during this season. We are intentionally thinking of our neighbors, inspired to spread the good news of humanity’s Savior’s birth. It’s an amazing time to start thinking of your neighbors and practicing how Jesus would respond to them: especially the ones who push your buttons, and especially the ones who push your buttons who aren’t Christian. Instead of ripping them to shreds, listen and find out why they react the way they do—then respond like Jesus. Begin this Christmas and carry on throughout the year. Merry Christmas. May Jesus help you to become more like Him this season and in this coming year.
