Ronni’s Points to Ponder
When reflecting on the commercialization of holidays—especially Christmas—many Christians refer to the example of Jesus cleansing the Temple as described in Matthew 21:12, 13. “Then Jesus went into the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. And He declared to them, ‘It is written: My house will be called a house of prayer. But you are making it a den of robbers.’”
Some Christians would argue that commercialization is acceptable as long as it does not occur inside the church. Does this mean purchasing tickets to the Christmas pageant is banned? Does this belief shatter the concept of the traditional gift exchange with Sunday school classmates?
On the other hand, some would say commercialization is warranted in that it brings awareness to important historical events such as the birth of Christ. I can jump on the bandwagon with this notion, but I still have a hard time understanding what I’ve done that is so spectacular to justify receiving a gift on Jesus’ birthday.
Ibelieve commercialization has its benefits as long as we keep our morals and values in check. In other words, make your decision to engage in commercialization based on the core values you’ve set for yourself. Keep in mind, the people who have never heard of Christ. Some people who would never go to church may be introduced to Jesus by choosing to look past the ornamental trees to find the message buried beneath the beautifully wrapped boxes. Others may discover the true meaning within the chorus of a Christmas carol such as Away in a Manager or Silent Night. It is a place they may find Christ by turning to the Bible to delve into the who, what, when, where and why concerning Jesus’ birth, ministry and death.
Let’s not be so quick to dismiss the commercialization of important holidays. Instead, use the platform to control the message and spread the good news to everyone in your circle of influence. I stand on my platform with a call to action to learn more about the birth of Jesus by reading Luke 2: 1-20.