Many years ago, my pastor was giving a sermon and told an interesting story about his trip to a shopping mall during Christmastime. 

This particular mall was in a major city and was jam-packed with shoppers during December. You can imagine the craziness! At one point, a large group of people was cramming into a huge elevator. 

As the doors slid closed, someone grumbled nastily, “I’d like to kill whoever is responsible for this holiday.”

In the quiet, a voice from the back said sadly, “Don’t worry. We did.”

Silence. No one laughed or rolled their eyes. No one made a joke. Everyone simply held still as the elevator finished its silent glide to the ground floor.

WOW. What a powerful moment! What perspective!

It’s easy to let the craziness and “circus” of secular holidays overwhelm us and affect our love and joy at Christmastime. Often, we lose sight entirely of what we’re REALLY celebrating!

So take some time to remember, and keep your perspective in check. Whenever possible, try to focus on the real meaning of Christmas and how thankful we are that God sent his Son in human flesh to take our sins upon himself. All the crowded shopping malls in the world can’t dim that joy. It helps to remind ourselves the TRUE reason for our Christmas hope and happiness!  

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).