Come On, Ring Those Bells
I recently read that one should be intolerant of the intolerant and tolerant of the tolerant. I doubt that many of us would disagree with this statement. Certainly, anyone who would promote bigotry and prejudice should be confronted with their ignorance. However, it seems that each year in the United States there is a continuing effort to silence the good news of Christmas. We are told that Christmas trees should be called holiday trees. Additionally, retailers are requiring their employees to avoid saying, “Merry Christmas.” All of these types of things are shrouded in the concept that we all need to be more tolerant of others and respectful of others and their beliefs.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t think saying “Merry Christmas” is a sign of intolerance, bigotry, or prejudice. Our country was founded on principles including religious freedom. However, it seems as though this principle applies to all religions except Christianity. I am very tolerant. I am not a bigot. I am not prejudice. I am a Christian. I believe that Jesus is God’s Son sent to redeem fallen humanity from sin and that those who trust in Jesus will be saved. This is what I celebrate, not just on December 25th, but all year round.
We Christians tend to be a very tolerant and patient group. We tend to turn the other cheek and allow the repression of our faith to go unchecked. However, the Lord has called us to be witnesses of the grace and glory of Jesus. The effort to remove Christ from Christmas began on the day Jesus was born when Herod established a decree to kill the male children in Israel. But Herod could not stop the plan of God and neither can the so-called tolerant-politically-correct crowd today. We live in a country that gives each one freedom of speech and freedom to worship God.
So, come on, ring those bells! Go tell it on the mountain! Joy to the world the Lord is come! Let your light so shine before all that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Don’t let the world rob you of a Merry Christmas. Express your Christmas joy to everyone you meet. Greet the retailer with a “Merry Christmas!” Wish your co-workers a “Blessed Merry Christmas.” Be a witness for Jesus and express your faith so that all may know that Christ is Christmas!
God bless,
Pastor Gary
