Chapel Blog
Presence not Presents
I’m sure you will travel for Christmas. If not, people are probably traveling to you. Travelling can be very stressful. Whether it’s the hassle of the airport, or the long, claustrophobic hours in a car, when you finally arrive, you’re exhausted. Then, being out of your routine, staying in hotels, or on your aunt’s couch, sharing a bathroom with cousins and eating junk all make for tough moments.
Why do we do it? I think part of the reason is we intuitively understand the importance of being with the people we love. Whether that’s with our family and friends on a vacation where we can relax and enjoy each other’s company, or a holiday trip to see family and friends. We know the value of people’s physical presence in our lives.
In Luke 1:39 there is a little detail in the Christmas story we may have missed. Mary travelled! The mother of Jesus was waiting to board with group 9 on Nazareth Air on Christmas. Okay, that’s not exactly what happened, but she did make a three-to-five-day journey on foot to cover about one hundred miles in order to see her relatives. And when she arrived, I’m sure exhausted and dirty, the reason why she went was immediately apparent as Elizabeth said in verse 44, “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”
John the Baptist was still in the womb, Mary had only been pregnant for a very short time, and yet, the moment John was within Jesus’ presence, his love for Jesus and his purpose were made known.
When Jesus was actually born later that year, the shepherds came to see Him and the wisemen brought him presents. But it wasn’t the presents that made the journey worthwhile. Even in Jesus’ day the wisemen could have sent presents via courier, so why did they make the trip personally? They wanted to be with Jesus. The present was merely the symbol of worship and honor, a more profound and meaningful way of saying, “I’m so glad to be with you.”
Presents are an important part of our Christmas traditions. Getting the right gift for someone you love can go a long way to communicate how much you value and care for them. But don’t miss the part of the story where we make the effort to be with people we love. I don’t just mean to be with them in the same room opening presents, but, instead, to actually show up and be present.
For those of us who know Jesus, lets’ also take the opportunity, like Mary did, to bring Jesus with us wherever we go. Who knows that when we walk in with Christ in our hearts that those we love might not leap for joy at the presence of Jesus in us.
‘Tis the season for love if and only if we remember that presence trumps presents every time.
Westminster Christian School, located in Palmetto Bay, Florida, is a private, college-preparatory school for children from preschool through twelfth grade.