It's Yo Birthday

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David
a Savior, who is Christ the Lord"

(Luke 2:11)

Imagine that you just woke up to a bright, sunny day. You stretch as you get out of bed, and you remember that this isn’t just any ordinary day, it's your birthday. Excitement fills your heart. You look forward to all the celebration that comes with this special day, as people celebrate the day you entered the world.

When you walk into the kitchen you hear your spouse and kids softly talking, but quickly stop with sheepish looks on their faces when they see you. Then you know something is up. Maybe they are planning you a surprise party. Your excitement builds as you get ready and head to work. 

As you walk into work you notice everyone bunched up talking. But just like at home when they notice you, they all just go quiet and scatter. “Well, well“ you think, “This is going to be a big party” and again your excitement grows. 

All day long you feel like a kid inside and you can't wait to get home to a surprise party. Just before you leave work, your boss asks you to stay over for a few minutes, he never asks that. And oddly enough your wife calls and asks you to pick up milk and bread on your way home. But you just got milk and bread two days before. Oh well, you just play along, you know it's all about your surprise party. 

You finally pull into the neighborhood and you are now ecstatic, you can hardly contain the childlike laughter and giggles. When your house comes into view you see cars filling the drive and flowing out into the street. You see the lights are all on and through the window you see a full house. You laugh to yourself, “I got here a little early than they thought. Believe I'll give them a surprise as I walk in”. 

You get to the door and you hear everyone talking and music playing, you burst in the door and to your surprise, everyone is eating and drinking. They are talking and dancing, pretty much ignoring you. Now some do acknowledge you with a head nod, some speak, but for the most part everyone acts like it's not even a party for you. Your heart breaks. You’re beside yourself. You think “Don't they know who's birthday it is? I mean they are in my house!!” 

Finally you say loudly, “Hey!! What's going on! I thought this party was for me??!!” All the guests stop, the music stops, and one of the guests says “It is. We know it's your birthday”. You reply, “Then shouldn't I be brought in, a silly party hat put on my head and then have everyone singing the Birthday song to me? Shouldn't I be the center of this celebration?”  The guests all just laugh and one says, “we don't need you to celebrate your birthday”. And everyone just laughs again. You stand there amazed  at what you just heard. You feel like at anytime the Twilight Zone theme song will start playing. You are heartbroken. Celebrating YOUR birthday, without YOU? Crazy huh? 

The overwhelming majority of people this year will celebrate the Christmas season, without even a head nod at Jesus. When you celebrate Christmas this year, keep the reason for the celebration, the center of the celebration. On Christmas we celebrate the birth of our savior Jesus. The Way, the Truth and the Life. God’s gift to this world. 


Vern