The ship has had Christmas decorations up for 2 weeks
already. It was Saturday November 30th that was decoration day, and
the place is beautiful. There is something about Christmas decorations that
seem to lift your spirits. We have christmas trees in virtually every space on the ship. In the reception area, the cafe, the mid-ships long, the dining room. You name it - there is a tree!
My cabin-mate and I have a very small tree in our cabin. It lacks
lights, but it has the borbles, some small figures and an angel on the top. In
my mind, there is always– what goes at the top of the tree, an angel or a star?
I say, ‘In my mind there is always a
debate’ because in reality I don’t have a choice. On the ship all I have is
an angel, and when I lived in England, all I had was a star! Does it matter?
DO you have multi-coloured lights, or plain white ones? Do
you put tinsel on or not? Some people have a colour scheme – gold and silver,
or red and green for example. So many choices.
As I ponder how to decorate
(or clothe) the Christmas tree, I have also been mediating on the
following scripture which tells me what I should clothe myself with:
Colossians 3: 12 - 15 Therefore, as God’s chosen people,
holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of
you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over
all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Few would disagree that the historical figure of Jesus had
these clothes on: ‘compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience’. That He
lived a life characterized by love. As his follower I want to do the same. I
know I fall short often, but just like my clothes get dirty and need washing
and ironing, so does my life. So this Christmas as we celebrate the birth of
Jesus, and we talk about ‘peace on earth’ , I want to keep putting on clean
clothes - compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience, love and forgiveness. Then I don’t need to get worried
or stressed; angry or offended; because peace will fill my heart instead and I
will find myself with a thankful attitude.
SO as you decorate your Christmas tree, and admire the
trees and other decorations you see around, consider how you are decorating your life, what clothes
you are wearing?
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas.
