Did you celebrate Christmas or Xmas or Holiday?

To the editor:

It seems like the perfect time of year to reflect on our lives for the past year and try to determine how well it was or how well we did. There are many ways to look back to judge how it was such as: Are we financially better, maybe are family and friends circle got larger or maybe our health is better, etc. But none of these truly tell us what is most important to reflect on to determine the success of the past year. For the “Christian” the best determiner of how well we did would be how well we represented that our lives are centered around our Savior Jesus Christ!

How we end the year is often a reflection of how we did during the year of promoting to others our Savior and the importance of knowing him to others and to ourselves.

So when you are with others do you promote this time of year as the Holiday Season, one that is focused on parties and other gatherings that are primarily held to just give meaningless material gifts and paint a false picture of the greatness of this life and material things.

Maybe you’re an Xmas person where your gatherings are primarily amongst those of unknown faiths where your priority is to fit in instead of standing out and promoting the only real reason for the season – the Savior Jesus Christ!

Maybe you know the reason for the season is Christ’s birth and you do your yearly obligation to acknowledge such and at least make it to a worship service, maybe the only one or two you do for the year. But at least you’re making an effort that you have some belief in Christ as your Savior – right?

While I can’t say for certain if God considers these actions “as true faith in him” resulting in a favorable outcome in his sight but am leaning towards – NOT – based on what his word teaches us. His word shows he wants more from us, encourages us to be set apart from the people of this world and tell others of his greatness so they too may be saved and have eternal life with him.

So as you reflect on how this year was for you and your family I encourage you to look at it through God’s eyes and strive to represent him better this coming year!

May the Lord open your hearts to see his ways are best and encourage you to have a better year than the last of centering your life around him.

Always remember this is the CHRISTmas Season!

Read: Matthew 28: 18-20, Galatians 6:1-10, Romans 10: 14-15

Anthony Scheff

M.W.A.B.