This week we turn our attention to Christmas. The holiday for most of us is bigger than life. As children we look forward to Christmas for months. Things have not changed much. As an adult, I still look forward to Christmas. The reasons have changed for sure, but the sweetness and anticipation of this day has not.
What makes it so grand? Probably because Christmas contains all the feels. Family. Giving presents. Traditional food. Family recipes. The music, lights, and movies. We can’t forget the memories associated with it. Christmas programs. Special church services. The celebration of Jesus’ birth. Did I mention all of this with the family?
Enter 2020. This year the novel coronavirus has robbed so so many of us. This virus released on the world has taken so much. Our collective focus as a world has fixated around this thing. Our vocabulary has changed with new words like social distancing. But much bigger than focus and vocabulary is the loss. People, opportunity, jobs, finances, and health just barely begin to create this list of losses.
For the remaining few seconds of this #OneMinuteMonday, I want to focus here.
Here is our challenge this week: Don’t miss what you have because of what you do not.
Image Joseph and Mary
What if Mary and Joseph would have missed what they had because of what they did not?
When it was time for Jesus to be born, all they had was an animal feeding trough. Nothing spectacular. It could not have been more simple than what it was. Humble beginnings. Miles away from home, a donkey, some blankets, and a full pregnancy. In this moment, it would have been so easy to miss what they had because of what they didn’t.
They were honored to be chosen to be the parents of Jesus. But the list of things they did not have was long. Imagine had they missed the significance of what was taking place because of what they didn’t have.
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a [b]manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 1:7)
Our Challenge is the Same
It would be very easy for any of us to miss what we have this Christmas because of what we do not. Our challenge is the same.
Today and throughout this week, force yourself to focus on and rejoice in what you have instead of getting robbed by the things you do not.
