This Christmas there was public indignation expressed by many if the news media because some Christmas presents had not been delivered on time, as promised. What struck me about this situation was how indignant people were because they suffered the inconvenience of not getting their gifts on time. Yes, promises were made by the delivery services that were not kept, but it’s amazing how much news this generated in a society that seems to have forgotten why the season is called Christmas.
Over twenty-seven hundred years ago, the Prophet Micah declared this. It’s found in Micah 5:2. “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of old, From everlasting.”
It seems as if our society has come to possess an incredible sense of entitlement. There’s nothing wrong with giving and receiving presents at Christmas, but, it’s as if our values now revolve around personal gratification and possession of stuff. This really shouldn’t capture our attention and dictate our emotional responses to the season.
This indignation over of all this stuff being delivered a day late, brought me back to what really counts – the celebration of the birth of our Savior. Christ, though entitled to rule and reign as Lord and King, humbled Himself and came to earth to be born in a stable. He did this, turning away from all He was entitled to, and allowed Himself to be humiliated on the cross of His crucifixion. Let’s remind ourselves that He did this for all for all of us who felt so irate because our goodies were a day late.
Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV) says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, {6} who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, {7} but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. {8} And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Let’s focus on the reason for the season, three-hundred and sixty-five days a year. Thank God Jesus was delivered on time. God help us to remember Matthew 1:23 every day. It says, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, ‘God with us.’”
Indignation Over Late Deliveries