Christmas Lights

I'd like to leave you with a verse I found particularly meaningful as we enter the Christmas season. In I Timothy 4:12 we read Paul exhorting his young disciple Timothy, "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." You'll notice that the very first thing he tells Timothy to exemplify is speech and then goes on to list conduct, love, faith and purity. Paul is urging Timothy to devote himself to God in all of life, to be consistent. As we enter the season where we celebrate Christ's birth, all of us will struggle with keeping our focus on God's gift. It's very difficult, especially for young people, to appreciate the true meaning of the holiday when we're all caught up with decorating, shopping and measuring boxes to see who has the biggest present. Most of us celebrate "Selfmas" instead of Christmas. Just last week as we celebrated Thanksgiving, I imagine many of us either silently or vocally expressed our thankfulness that Christ came to earth on our behalf. This Christmas season you have the opportunity to live what you say. Make your conduct reflect the true meaning of Christmas, and if that happens you will stand out in the crowd. It may even cause people to come up and ask you, "What are you doing? Isn't X-mas a time to spend lots of money on presents, pie, trees and lights?" What you say and how you live are a witness to a world that's forgotten God and the birth of Christ. "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity." Paul is talking to us. Let's be Christmas lights of truth this season.