A Lesson from Charlie Brown
In today's world, you can easily find yourself caught up in the web of the commercialized Christmas. Buying the right gifts, making the best cookies or getting everything done for that one day in December can easily overwhelm even the most level-headed person. The television commercials or the holiday songs streaming constantly into our brains get the best of us and turn us into crankpots with short fuses and light wallets.
When that happens, I turn to Charlie Brown.
Of all the Peanuts characters, I find that at Christmas time, I'm most like Charlie Brown. I wonder through the virtual snow of confusing decorations and metallic canned music wondering if I'm losing my mind, if I can possibly survive until the end of the year. People call me names, call me hopeless when I try to find the real meaning of the season. I venture forth into the cold snow, with what seems like the rest of the world jeering at me for trying to focus on what Christmas really means and not what other people tell me it should mean.
But then, Linus literally comes to the rescue. Each year on the TV special, he tells me just what Christmas is about
"'And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, and angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shown round about them and they were sore afraid. But the angel said, 'Fear not. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.'
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, praising God and saying 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, peace, goodwill toward men.'"
"And that's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown."
I understand that not everyone believes in the Jesus is the Savior thing, and everyone can have their opinion--that's OK. But for me, the fact that God sent his own son into the world to take away my sin and give me eternal life is the best gift of all. And Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Lord, the arrival of that salvation.
Sure, it's easy to forget about the meaning of Christmas--that whole 'peace on Earth' thing often isn't as compelling as a new Darth Vader voice changer mask--but it's not hard to take two minutes to stop and really think about what Christmas means to you personally. To me, Christmas is about love and joy and peace. It's about being with the people I care about most and appreciating the little gifts in life, like the time my mom takes to make my favorite cheese dip (that I only get at Christmas). Or maybe the small plate of homemade fudge a coworker left on my desk.
It's also easy to write Christmas off as a commercial racket "run by an eastern syndicate," a la Lucy and most Americans today. But if you work hard and really try, you can see Christmas all around you.
For example, every time I hear "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," I remember one of my best friends, Harold, who would stand in church, stop singing the hymn and look all around with a smile on his face. "What are you doing?" I'd whisper. "Don't you get it? They're all singing to me!" he'd say. That's a Christmas memory--friendship and shared laughs.
When I see a Salvation Army bucket, I remember the year I had just found out that Christmas Eve was my last day of employment. Coming out of a shop, I plunked some money in the Salvation Army bucket and the man ringing the bell told me what a wonderful person I was. Did he want more money later, so he gave the compliment? I don't know. But he made me feel like I had made a difference and I didn't feel so bad about the prospect of being unemployed.
Every time I listen to "Silent Night," I remember Christmas Eve at my home church. I was probably 16 and had helped the aforementioned Harold, his sister, Valerie, and some other kids light all the congregation's small candles. Standing in the back of the church, singing "Silent Night" with the utmost devotion, Valerie caught her church bulletin on fire. We spent the entire second verse of the hymn trying to inconspicuously put out the fire. We spent the third verse laughing. That's a Christmas memory--friendship and camaraderie. Togetherness and fun.
The list goes on and on, but really, my point is that Christmas isn't about stores and commercials and money. Some people think that way, yes, but that doesn't mean it has to be true--that doesn't mean that it's something that has to ruin your entire holiday season. Am I wearing rose-colored glasses? Maybe. But those glasses remind me that the real meaning of Christmas is God's love for us and the love we have for one another. It's up to every individual to keep that in their hearts. Otherwise, December 25th is just another day.
(Go ahead. Make fun of me.)
When that happens, I turn to Charlie Brown.
Of all the Peanuts characters, I find that at Christmas time, I'm most like Charlie Brown. I wonder through the virtual snow of confusing decorations and metallic canned music wondering if I'm losing my mind, if I can possibly survive until the end of the year. People call me names, call me hopeless when I try to find the real meaning of the season. I venture forth into the cold snow, with what seems like the rest of the world jeering at me for trying to focus on what Christmas really means and not what other people tell me it should mean.
But then, Linus literally comes to the rescue. Each year on the TV special, he tells me just what Christmas is about
"'And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the fields keeping watch over their flocks by night. And lo, and angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shown round about them and they were sore afraid. But the angel said, 'Fear not. For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.'
"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly hosts, praising God and saying 'Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth, peace, goodwill toward men.'"
"And that's what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown."
I understand that not everyone believes in the Jesus is the Savior thing, and everyone can have their opinion--that's OK. But for me, the fact that God sent his own son into the world to take away my sin and give me eternal life is the best gift of all. And Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Lord, the arrival of that salvation.
Sure, it's easy to forget about the meaning of Christmas--that whole 'peace on Earth' thing often isn't as compelling as a new Darth Vader voice changer mask--but it's not hard to take two minutes to stop and really think about what Christmas means to you personally. To me, Christmas is about love and joy and peace. It's about being with the people I care about most and appreciating the little gifts in life, like the time my mom takes to make my favorite cheese dip (that I only get at Christmas). Or maybe the small plate of homemade fudge a coworker left on my desk.
It's also easy to write Christmas off as a commercial racket "run by an eastern syndicate," a la Lucy and most Americans today. But if you work hard and really try, you can see Christmas all around you.
For example, every time I hear "Hark the Herald Angels Sing," I remember one of my best friends, Harold, who would stand in church, stop singing the hymn and look all around with a smile on his face. "What are you doing?" I'd whisper. "Don't you get it? They're all singing to me!" he'd say. That's a Christmas memory--friendship and shared laughs.
When I see a Salvation Army bucket, I remember the year I had just found out that Christmas Eve was my last day of employment. Coming out of a shop, I plunked some money in the Salvation Army bucket and the man ringing the bell told me what a wonderful person I was. Did he want more money later, so he gave the compliment? I don't know. But he made me feel like I had made a difference and I didn't feel so bad about the prospect of being unemployed.
Every time I listen to "Silent Night," I remember Christmas Eve at my home church. I was probably 16 and had helped the aforementioned Harold, his sister, Valerie, and some other kids light all the congregation's small candles. Standing in the back of the church, singing "Silent Night" with the utmost devotion, Valerie caught her church bulletin on fire. We spent the entire second verse of the hymn trying to inconspicuously put out the fire. We spent the third verse laughing. That's a Christmas memory--friendship and camaraderie. Togetherness and fun.
The list goes on and on, but really, my point is that Christmas isn't about stores and commercials and money. Some people think that way, yes, but that doesn't mean it has to be true--that doesn't mean that it's something that has to ruin your entire holiday season. Am I wearing rose-colored glasses? Maybe. But those glasses remind me that the real meaning of Christmas is God's love for us and the love we have for one another. It's up to every individual to keep that in their hearts. Otherwise, December 25th is just another day.
(Go ahead. Make fun of me.)
5 Comments:
Psst... Bill... I think she called you a "crankpot." hee hee
Matt
I'm glad to know I wasn't the only one who felt that was aimed right at my cold icy heart.
You are both so perceptive!
One of the best presents I ever got was when a person, I love, forgave me.
Last year, forgiveness was all I wanted for Christmas and I didn't get it. It would have meant more to me than anything in the whole world, but I "bring back too many bad memories" to be given such a gift. And I have to live with that. A bitter pill to swallow, huh?
Post a Comment
<< Home