A large company was having its board meeting to plan its upcoming Christmas sales campaign, with its main objective to find ways to beat their competitors. As they tossed around various ideas and slogans, suddenly the Chairman of the Board spoke up, “I’ve got it – we’ll have a manger!” Excitedly, he began to explain, “We’ll have the most expensive manger in the world. We’re going to put Christmas back into Christmas!” The rest of the Board agreed, and from that point forward, it was full steam ahead. They even decided on a slogan taken from the New Testament, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
The Chairman gathered his sales staff and directed them, “We’ll have to emphasize the variety of gifts our store has available. See to it that the Oriental Kings are handing a proper assortment of presents to the Holy Infant.” The sales staff went through their catalogue of merchandise and then arranged a huge display of their goods into a great pyramid, topped with an ornate and expensive manger scene with Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus giving their blessing to all the merchandise below.
When the Chairman came to view the display, he was delighted as he thought of all the profit he would make from the sales of merchandise. Then suddenly, his satisfied expression turned to a scowl. He called the manager of the store over and asked, “What’s that thing on top?” The manager replied, “It’s the manger, sir.” The chairman said, “We don’t sell mangers, do we?” The manager replied, “No sir, we don’t.” Immediately, the Chairman shouted, “Well, throw it out!”
A modern-day parable of sorts, but all too close to the truth of what passes for Christmas. The real truth lies in the simple verses found in the gospel of John: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
In the midst of a very busy season of shopping for gifts and spending time with family and friends, don’t let the very reason for the season be pushed aside and forgotten. Remember – without Christ, you can’t spell Christmas, much less experience it.
To His Glory,
Pastor Bill