Last year, “Unconventional” became Advent: preparing us for the radical entry of the divine into the human world, with brief thoughts on the four days leading up to Christmas. That seemed to resonate, so let’s explore one of the most haunting carols and give four answers to the question, “What Child is This?” Short posts to help you focus on one aspect of Jesus’ entry on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Here’s the third!
Christmas “split time” in a sense—we date our years from Jesus’ birth. It sparked a worldwide faith. At the core of those changes, we find a Jesus who entered the world to be a reconciler. To bring often radically people together. That had to begin with reconciling man with God, after our self-centeredness separated us from God. We wanted to call the shots, to determine right and wrong for ourselves, not allowing him to be the King of Kings. The carol proclaims that, “The King of Kings salvation brings, let loving hearts enthrone Him.” The key comes when we “enthrone him, or let him be Christ the King in our lives. That leads to the second area.
Look at all the types of people mentioned in the carol, brought together by their shared attraction to Jesus the King. Mothers. Angels. Shepherds. Peasants. Kings. All metaphors for how reconciliation between God and human leads to reconciliation between human and human. Some big differences there, overwhelmed by the one thing they possess in common--Christ the King.
Yes, we have huge differences. Politics, especially now. Gender. Economic status. Wounds from earlier. Race. Nationality. Age. But in a verse that haunts me, Jesus gave a standard to see if we’ve truly reconciled with one another, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). At a minimum, Jesus implies the world can say we don’t look like a follower unless they can see an observable love between us. Ouch. Maybe we can work on reconciliation.
Kick Starting the Application
Would an unbeliever who read your Facebook posts see love expressed to those you disagree with? Consistently with family members? Co-workers. Those who have wounded you? Perhaps the best Christmas gift this year would be forgiveness. Loving words. Loving acts. Being the better person. And what a great New Year that would bring.