The Ugliness of Christmas

     Finally, I have had time to blog here, although it is a bit late now. But then Christmas is approaching and now is already Christmas Eve. Well lately, I read a comment by a fellow brother and I want to share his thoughts, which I believe is an interesting topic to world about the birth of Christ.
     Christmas, as we all know, is everyone's favorite season of the year. This includes yours faithfully, me. Well it is one of the most happening season in the year, all thanks to our mass media. But like it or not, despite all the beautiful things about Christmas, there are too ugliness of Christmas. You may asked, WHAT?!? Well you heard it right. Despite all beautiful things about Christmas, there are ugly side about Christmas as well. I do not mean to spoil your Christmas mood here, but let us do some soul searching of ourselves and begin to understand the true meaning of Christmas.
     Well Christmas, as we all know, is a day of remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ's birth on this earth 2,000 years ago. Christmas is not His exact birth date. In fact, no one knows His exact birthday. But do you know that before Jesus was actually born, there are a few ugly incidents had happened. One of it was Herod the Great announced the massacre of all innocent baby boys who were two years old and under, just to make sure Jesus was not to be born. Herod the Great did the order because he was the King of Jews. Jesus was the rumored to be the King of Jews, the Messiah, even before He was born. So if Jesus were killed when He was a baby, Herod the Great will remained as the King of Jews.
     As we celebrate Christmas in the most happening and most clean way, Jesus was born in a stable whereby the inn they (Joseph and Mary) are supposed to stay to give birth to baby Jesus was full. In the end, Mary need to give birth in a stable, where all the animal poops and pees were located. The place where baby Jesus was born was a dirty place. No one were willing to give a pregnant lady a place to give birth to her baby. Imagine now. If a pregnant lady was standing at the MRT, would you have had given her your seat, at least? Perhaps, we as a normal human, in this current world would given up our room for just one night for this poor pregnant Mary to have a place to give birth to her son. But the sad truth about the story 2,000 years ago, was that no one gave Mary anywhere to give birth to baby Jesus and this story are still mentioned even after Jesus' birth, 2,000 years later.
     Nine month before baby Jesus was born, when God send angel Gabriel to tell Mary that she was to  be pregnant and be the vessel to give birth to baby Jesus, it was a rule of that time that there shall not be any pregnancy without marriage. If you ever get pregnant, it must be done after marriage. If not, the girl can be stoned to death. That was how strict the law of the time. You can imagine Joseph's reaction when Mary told him about the incident. Mary obeyed what was told to her without rebelling. She questioned the sanity of having pregnant before even married to Joseph but she obeyed God. As of Joseph, he can just break off with her and get another wife which to him would be "purer" than Mary. But he, too, chose to obey God and marry Mary anyway. You can imagine the difficulties they had to face when they go through with their own daily life. When a person gave birth before the right time, people can notice. Now, people might not be bothered about others giving birth before the right time but people during those time of Joseph and Mary were different. I am sure it was their right to make sure everything turned up well. All both of them did was be obedient and I am sure they would not had thought what they did in their obedient towards God was a miracle God gave to the world.
     So let us all be reminded that Christmas is all about Jesus Christ and Him alone. Well, we are nothing compared to Him. He came to the earth to save the whole world from the sin. Only Jesus can save. Otherwise, why would a lot of ugly things happened just to make sure Jesus was not born into this world? If Jesus was not born into this world, then there won't be any Christmas. Christmas was never about Santa Claus. In fact, Saint Nicholas was just doing a good deed on Christmas Eve, serving God as 4th century Greek Christian Bishop. He was famous for giving gifts to the poor and cared for them. In the end, his deed became bigger than what Jesus had done.
     Let us continue to be reminded that Jesus is all that we all need. The world is lost and in need of a leader who can give them comfort. Therefore, Santa Claus was created. Just for everyone's comfort. Why not, in this special season, let us live our life for Jesus. Let us live in Jesus' comfort and not Santa's. Let us put our focus on Jesus Christ. He was born to save us from sin. Let us be reminded of God's faithfulness to us through the birth of Jesus Christ. Let us be reminded that God can make all ugly incident of our life to become a beautiful and wonderful life. Just like how being even baby Jesus was born, their parent and the sacrifice of 2 years old and below's babies had to endured. Christmas is not just a time to have fun and partying all night. It is not wrong to do have fun and partying all night on Christmas but Christmas is also a time to reflect back what Jesus had done for us and how He suffered His life on the cross for us. Remember this. From inside Mary's womb right up to His death on the cross, He did not live a good life. Everyone wants Him dead, even when He was in Mary's womb.
     This is the beauty of Christmas. God turned everything ugly into everything beautiful. The birth of Jesus Christ had now became one of the most happening season of the year, despite all the ugly and sad incidents He had to go through 2,000 years ago. So let us acknowledge our beloved Lord Jesus Christ when we celebrate Christmas.
     If you are convicted after reading this sharing to want to know more about our Lord Jesus Christ, please feel free to say this Sinner's prayer.

Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn away from sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and believe You as my Lord and Savior. In Your Name, Amen.

     Well please go to a church nearby you and grow spiritually there. If you need help in understanding more about our Lord Jesus Christ, please feel free to ask me here. I am more than willing to answer your questions.
     Anyway time's up. Just want to wish all my readers, a blessed 2016 Christmas. May this Christmas continues to bring everyone Joy, Love and Peace wherever you go. God bless. =)