The true meaning of Christmas

My mom, my wife and my daughter all like Hallmark Channel movies. I wonder about the girls in my life because although these movies are enjoyable, there is nothing new about any of them — you can see every plot development coming a mile away. Especially the Christmas ones — a guy and girl meet, they dislike each other first, then they fall for each other, they have some crisis/argument, they reconcile in time for Christmas. Pretty much every Hallmark movie in a nutshell.

One thing I noticed is almost all claim to be about someone learning “the true meaning of Christmas” and not one of them is actually about it. They are mostly about learning to be nice to other people. It’s not a bad message, it’s just not the meaning of Christmas, it’s not even close. But “be nice” is better than “be naughty.” Be nice, help others, it’s a great sentiment — but that is not the true message of Christmas. As good as the message to treat others well is, God offers something so much more.

Over 700 years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah said this about him: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” according to Isaiah 9:6.

As a Wonderful Counselor, Jesus came to give us comfort.

As the Mighty God, he came to give us the power to really live.

As the Everlasting Father, he came to give us security in life, and death.

As the Prince of Peace, he came to give us confidence no matter the circumstances.

Comfort, power, security and confidence; wouldn’t you say that these are better than just “being nice?” God thought they were, so he sent Jesus. Merry Christmas.

This article was written on behalf of the Moses Lake Christian Ministerial Association.