“I would like to make an exchange,” said Buddy pulling a kitten from his jacket.
Mr. Jennison turned from his position between the rabbits and the hamsters to face Buddy. “An exchange?”
“Yes, sir,” said Buddy. “I don’t like cats. Mind you, if I did, this would be a very nice kitty.”
“Sorry, young man, but we don’t exchange pets.”
“But you must. My grandpa bought it here. He told me.”
Mr Jennison knelt down to look Buddy in the eye. “I’m sure he did . . . but you see we don’t exchange pets . . . we never have.”
A tear trickled down Buddy’s cheek. “I wanted a puppy . . .like . . . like that one over there.” He pointed to a tiny black ball of fur.
“I’m sure if you give this kitty a chance,” said Mr. Jennison, “you’ll really learn to love it.”
“Oh, I already love it. I just don’t like it—it’s a cat. “Buddy’s voice rose. “Every boy needs a dog . . . to follow him, an to sleep under his bed . . .to play with. My daddy had one when he was a boy.”
Mr. Jennison just knelt there with his mouth open. He didn’t know what to say.
(Let me know your thoughts on this story. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
Throughout December we hear uncounted replays of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. You know the one, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know.” Now, I must admit that I love to wake up Christmas morning to a blanket of white covering field and forest. The season brings a certain nostalgia as Christmas cards start arriving picturing idealized villages deep in snow, kids skating on frozen ponds, and sleighs drawn by high stepping horses. In our part of the world we expect a snowy Christmas. Even south in Florida and across the globe in Australia and Fiji it’s part of the mythology of Christmas.
But some Christmases are green. Temperatures stay well above freezing, balmy enough that some Torontonians can play tennis. Maybe that’s not a bad thing—reminding us to get back to the real history behind the myth. The story behind the fairy tales of Santa Claus, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer—the truth beyond the tinsel and trees, the feasting and buying. Merchants tell us that they sell more at Christmas than at any other time of the year. Anyone who has tried to find a parking space at a mall during December will have to agree. Christmas means crowds of frequently grumpy people thronging the shops.
Was the first Christmas green? Does it snow in Bethlehem? Rarely. We do know that there were no crowds around the manger. God chose only about twelve or so people to participate in the original miracle. Most of the relatives and neighbors of Mary and Joseph had no idea what was happening. The religious leaders took no note of the birth of this child until foreign visitors arrived. King Herod and the political establishment missed the event that would separate history into AD and BC time. The innkeepers of Bethlehem were too busy counting their coins to notice another arrival, even if the woman was heavy with child.
Very few had a clue that history would never be the same. Fifteen months before the birth of Christ, an angel informed Elizabeth and Zechariah that their son John would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. That makes two who had an inkling. An angel also announced to Mary about the birth of Jesus and explained to Joseph about his miraculous birth. On the night of his birth an angel gave the news to two or three shepherds followed by an angelic choir singing glory to God. That makes six or seven. Eight days after his birth God moved Simeon and Anna to celebrate the arrival of a Savior. That makes eight or nine included in the drama. Almost a year later the Magi arrived. Although the text does not specify that there were three wise men, we know there must have been at least two. If we add up all the participants, we find that God specifically chose eleven or twelve people to take part in the most astounding event in history—the incarnation of the Son of God.
Why so few? These 12 had something in common. Although a young woman, Mary could say, “my soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”[1] Joseph “was a righteous man” who did not want to expose Mary “to public disgrace.”[2] Elizabeth and Zechariah “were upright in the sight of God observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.”[3] Simeon “was righteous and devout.”[4] Anna “worshipped night and day.”[5] The text reveals nothing about the character or habits of the shepherds. However, the speed with which they went to find the baby and the way they left “glorifying and praising God” leads me to believe they were very sensitive to God. The Magi undertook a lengthy and dangerous journey with the express purpose of worshipping Christ.[6]
These 12 participants are linked by their spiritual sensitivity. They were conscientious worshippers—devout seekers after God. They were all God-centred.
In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ taught, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.”[7] Martyn Lloyd-Jones points out that the purity mentioned here denotes singleness of vision and freedom from defilement. By singleness of vision, he means a focus on God—a God-centeredness. This clear vision of God leads the pure in heart to embrace what is good and true and holy—to flee defilement of any kind. In the grubby world in which we live such purity is rare. Those who treasure such purity see beyond the tinsel and trappings of Christmas—they see God. Will we see God this Christmas?
Father purify my heart that I might feel again some of the wonder of the incarnation. Cleanse me from any defilement. Lord, I know you are not a cosmic kill-joy out to spoil our celebrations, but please help me to keep from being distracted by all the holiday hype that drowns out the true music of Christmas.
(Let me know your thoughts on this subject. If you appreciate this blog, please pass it on. If I can help you spiritually, let me know. Further articles, books, and stories at: Facebook: Eric E Wright Twitter: @EricEWright1 LinkedIn: Eric Wright ; Eric’s books are available at: https://www.amazon.com/Eric-E.-Wright/e/B00355HPKK%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share)
We all owe a great debt to technology. We enjoy driving our cars, using the internet, making coffee in our kitchens, and having indoor plumbing. As we look back in history, we recognize that living in this century we stand on the shoulders of those who invented the printing press, sparked the industrial revolution, founded railways, created telephones, air conditioning, modern medicine and so much more.
The Protestant Reformation freed mankind from a somewhat magical or mystical view of the material world. Although not alone among Christian groups, Protestants asserted that God created the universe—earth, sun, and all the stars—an ordered universe. And they emphasized, more than other groups, that the operating principles of the created world around us could be discovered and these discoveries utilized to benefit mankind. And so along came Newton, Faraday, Boyle, Kepler, Planck and many others.
Most of these discoveries and the inventions they inspired have been of great benefit to humanity lifting untold millions from a baneful existence. We have seen enormous progress. Out of the reformation there also originated an emphasis on the equality of all people as created in the image of God. Western democracies were birthed. Freedom, responsibility, progress, and other democratic ideals were promoted.
Yet as people prospered, they became more and more estranged from the God who created them with the very innate abilities that produced progress. With progress has come hubris, the belief in our invincibility, and a greatly diminished awareness of our dependence on God. We seem to think that nothing can stop the progress of civilization if we bow to science and technology while scorning so-called primitive beliefs in God. Along with this blindness to the real source of our technical benefits has come a carelessness about ethics and the ten commandments that defines the dimensions of a good and righteous society.
However, as the wars of the twentieth century and the chaos of international relations in this new century have demonstrated, there are destructive elements at work. What elements? The innate tendency of humans towards selfishness, pride, independence, violence, lawlessness,—in a word, sin. Mankind is governed not by a bent towards doing what is good and right but towards whatever will gratify innate desires. “For all sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Good intentions are often diluted and often misdirected by the prevalent imperfections and even evils of society in general.
Jesus came to redeem us from this destructive and selfish bent. He came to establish the kingdom of God peopled by those of ethical character. The beatitudes and the teaching which follows in the Sermon on the Mount defines character. (Matthew chapters 5,6,7) Of course, we cannot embrace such a radical change or even recognize its need without a heart change, the new birth. Jesus confronted noted religious scholar, Nicodemus, with this need in John 3; “You must be born again.” Paul writes, “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:5).
Thus, the gospel of Jesus Christ, including his birth, what he taught, his miracles, his death on the cross for our sins, his resurrection and ascension to heaven, and his reigning rule is the only hope, not technology. Without a revival of gospel-transformation society is headed for dark days.
In earlier centuries, philosophers laughed at the horrific images described in Revelation as mere literary imaginings. “A great star blazing like a torch, fell from the sky…There came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a severe earthquake…Every island fled away…from the sky huge hailstones” (Rev. 8:10; 16:18,21). Then came 1945 and the detonation of atom bombs. As the nuclear arms race accelerated, any earthly catastrophe became possible. Currently our TV’s report on terrible storms, tsunamis, earthquakes, and the approach of meteorites. With the rise of the internet and global communication–but especially the break-neck advance of Artificial Intelligence–ominous scenarios are no longer science fiction. Imbedded microchips limiting buying and selling? One world government? The images of Revelation have become all too possible.
Meanwhile, we quite rightly value free speech, free markets, democracy, and benevolent technology. But we must not forget that the most important value is missing from this list of values.
What is missing is a commitment to God. We think we are so advanced, so intelligent yet we have neglected the basics. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov. 9:10) George Grant in his essay, which has much to say about the rise of technology, has written, “Reverence rather than freedom is the matrix of nobility.”[1] But reverence is now as scarce as hen’s teeth.
The challenge of the Master continues. Let us find certainty and true freedom through a recovery of reverence and faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Country Inspiration 