December 17. “JESUS: SIMPLY CHRISTMAS”
“. . . I bring you good news of great joy for all the people.” Luke 2:10
I have two dear friends who are High School football coaches in Texas (by the way, Merry Christmas John and Kevin). God has used them powerfully to bless students, athletes, and families for many years; their faith in Christ represents the standard of their leadership and influence. One of the themes they have used in coaching their teams is, “keep it simple.” And, I must say, this really works. In fact, this standard works in all of life. Give it a try!
So many times simplicity is confused with superficiality. This is not the case. Simplicity represents clarity and preciseness. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary explains simplicity as that which is uncomplicated, free from pretense, and direct in expression. Therefore, how should we apply the “keep it simple” principle to our faith, and more specifically to this Christmas season?
In 2 Corinthians 1:12, God’s Word describes Paul and his missionary team as those who conducted themselves in holiness and sincerity. The idea of sincerity in this verse describes something that is judged by the sun (in full light), thus bringing clarity to the substance. This is why some translations like the English Standard version and the New King James Version use the term “simplicity” for sincerity. In this way, the Bible encourages us to keep it simple by conducting ourselves according to Jesus. He makes our daily steps clear; there should be no confusion.
First Corinthians 14:33 reminds us that “God is not a God of confusion, but of peace.” Because simplicity is clarity, confusion is dismissed when by faith we keep things simple. This verse represents a passage of the Scriptures that speaks against any type of chaos in public worship; the edification is clear: simplicity allows for a clear focus upon the truth of God and Jesus.
So, with the two above verses in our consideration of simplicity, to “keep it simple” is to keep it all about Jesus. This Christmas season, I urge you to go to great effort to keep all things about Jesus. Read the Holy Scriptures about the birth of Christ often during this season. Find ways to give to others more than receiving from others. Discover new ways to randomly serve others, and then give Jesus full credit for being our true motivation. Let’s make all things this Christmas season about Jesus. In fact, this is a great game plan for life. Thanks coaches!
This is simple. This is Christmas. This is Jesus.
READ: Today, read Luke 2:8-14 and remember that this is the simple (clear and precise) story of Christmas.
Don’t miss even one devotion by having these readings delivered to your inbox each day. It’s easy to sign up and you can unsubscribe at any time.
