12/10/13
It was the end of the Christmas party and I was saying goodbye to the other parents. As I was approaching one particular couple it occurred to me that they might follow the Jewish faith, so instead of wishing them a Merry Christmas, I said "Happy Holidays!" The Dad gave me a look that seemed to say "I see what you did there." He smiled nicely and we parted ways. His polite yet curious reaction reminded me of a column I once read back when the war on the word Christmas was raging (again).
It was the end of the Christmas party and I was saying goodbye to the other parents. As I was approaching one particular couple it occurred to me that they might follow the Jewish faith, so instead of wishing them a Merry Christmas, I said "Happy Holidays!" The Dad gave me a look that seemed to say "I see what you did there." He smiled nicely and we parted ways. His polite yet curious reaction reminded me of a column I once read back when the war on the word Christmas was raging (again).
A man of Jewish faith wrote a public response to the suggestion that Christians should stop offending others with their words of good cheer. He explained that he enjoyed being greeted by strangers with "Merry Christmas" on their lips. He said that it never seemed like an affront to his own beliefs, but a sincere wish from one person to another that 'I hope all may go well for you'. He said he responded in kind with his own "Same to you" and in his heart he was saying 'May God bless you'.
I stopped being upset over the swapping out of the words Christmas and Holiday, when I read that the first definition for holiday is, in fact, holy day! I thought that's cool! There will always be those who are trying to confirm their own beliefs by taking away from the meaning of Christmas by their word choice. But that does not have to diminish the meaning of Christmas for us.
The definition of holiday:
hol·i·day
noun \ˈhä-lə-ˌdā, British usually ˈhä-lə-dē\
: a special day of celebration : a day when most people do not have to work
Full Definition of HOLIDAY
2 : a day on which one is exempt from work; specifically : a day marked by a general suspension of work in commemoration of an event
Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
Of course, we don't need a dictionary to reassure us of what is true. We have God's Word and His Word is Truth!
Dear Lord, please help us to be Your light and Your love to others every day, especially during this holy season. May the words of our mouths be good, kind, true, and acceptable in Your sight. In Jesus name, amen.
For the country music fans among us, I hope you enjoy this original song by Jeffrey Allen Edwards:
"I Believe in You"
We were not there for all the wondrous miracles God has done for us. One of the other wonders God has done is to leave us an accounting of our spiritual legacy from Him in the Bible.
ReplyDeleteYES, I DO BELIEVE!!!