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Warnings for the Holiday Season The Holiday Season, Christmas and New Year’s, is upon us. Shopping Malls are packed with busy purchasers, children are looking forward to their Christmas break, families will be getting together, and businesses will be having their holiday parties. Personally I like the Christmas season. People tend to be nicer to one another, charitable contributions increase, and I like giving gifts. However, there are some problems that come with this time of the year and we need to be aware of them. Consumption of Alcohol For some reason people associate having a good time with liquor. Office parties that are intended to reward employees for their good work often turn into drunken parties. There is pressure exerted at some places for everyone to get sauced. As Christians we need to be aware of the dangers of deciding to have a "little" to drink, so as to go along with the crowd, in order to justify drinking. Proverbs 23.29- 35 describes the heartache and pain drinking causes to its victims. It goes so far as to say, "Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it swirls around smoothly" (Proverbs 29.31). It may be enticing but do not give in to the temptation to "just try it" or, "maybe I will this one time." One out of ten people that drink become alcoholics; each began with just one drink. Not only is drunkenness condemned in the Bible, but even "social drinking" is condemned in 1 Peter 4.3. The term "drinking parties" corresponds to what is called social drinking. Another danger to the Christian is the conduct of those that are drinking alcohol. There is a link between alcohol and the following: spousal abuse, auto accidents, and rape. The driver in the next car may be under the influence of alcohol and endanger your life or the life of a love one. A woman at the office party may be approached by a co-worker looking for a good time or simply be approached by a stranger that has been to his company’s party. Let us not forget the danger of drinking on New Year’s Eve. The best we can do is abstain from alcohol and be alert. Depression Sadly many people during the holiday season have the feeling of hopelessness, being overwhelmed with despair, (or overwhelmed, depressed) and what we generally call the blues. Such feelings can be caused by numerous things. Those who have lost loved ones usually think about how things used to be and miss their friend or family members. Some may be separated from their family. One place we lived had a television station that showed military personnel deployed in various parts of the world. Sometimes it was a man or woman and sometimes they were with their immediate family, but they were to tell the folks back home to have a "Merry Christmas." One particular family stood out in my mind. The man was in the military and his wife and children had obviously moved with him to this place. As they were wishing all their relatives in the United States a happy holiday, you could see the despair on their faces. Regena and I both felt sorry for them. It is hard being separated from family during the holidays. Others may feel overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the season. Putting up the Christmas tree, decorating the house, making candies, cooking for relatives, and shopping are just some of the extra-curricular activities that go on during this season. At the same time people have to still work and fulfill their other responsibilities. Still more may feel depressed due to their financial limitations. Commercials on television show parents all the latest toys, games, and electronic devices. One can purchase a PlayStation 3 for $600 (if you can find one), or a flat panel television for roughly the same amount as your house payment! Who can afford some of these things?
Remember to take each day at a time. God is with you and knows your heartache of missing loved ones. We are to be content with what we have, Philippians 4.11, and not get caught up in the materialism of the season. You are not alone. One simple way to feel better is to go and visit those that are lonely and in despair. Get your mind off yourself and on to others, Phil. 2.4. Too Much Another danger of this season is going overboard. As mentioned in an earlier paragraph, people can get too busy doing too many things. We want our children to have all the best things and neglect them while we are out shopping. People tend to buy too much for their loved ones. The credit card industry has flooded our mail boxes with applications and instant credit, resulting in people over extending their credit. I remember when it was actually hard to get a credit card. Somebody in the industry must have woke up one day and realized that by giving credit to everyone at 21% interest they make more money than simply giving it to those who have good credit. Therefore, almost anyone can run up thousands of dollars on credit. A few years ago Visa and MasterCard said there were over 376 million of their credit cards out there. The average household owes over $4500 on credit cards with an interest rate of roughly 21%. The Bible warns us of the danger of credit and over extending ourselves.
Make sure you have the means to pay what you have borrowed. You are morally obligated to do so; whether by credit card or a loan at the bank you have stated that you will repay the amount borrowed.
The ultimate recourse of the lender is to take what you have to settle the debt. Our society protects the borrower so most likely you will not end up in jail, but you could lose everything you have worked for, including your good name. Do not go crazy and purchase more than what you can afford during the Christmas season. Religious Error The Bible does not say Jesus was born on December 25th, three wise men can to see baby Jesus in the manger, or mention anything about a "Christmas Donkey." All of the above is simply false and results in vain worship. It may create a great image, but it simply is not true.
The Bible does mention Jesus being born in Bethlehem, the shepherds in the fields hearing the angels pronounce the birth of Jesus, and wise men coming to worship Him, in Luke 2 and Matthew 2. The shepherds being the fields watching their herds means it was not in the middle of winter, but probably in the spring. We are told the wise men came to Jesus, but not the number of wise men. Three is the assumed number of wise men because they came bearing three gifts. Such is assumption and can not be proven true. Jesus was born in a manger, but He was in a house by the time the wise men came to worship Him.
More importantly we are not told to worship the day of His birth, but to remember His death on the cross. Events leading up to and surrounding His birth are important, but must be remembered correctly and we need to stay clear of false religion. D.T. |