Happy Holidays Said With Love

I don't usually like my blog to be heavy.  You know, topics that leave you not feeling light, happy and in a good mood.  But, something lays heavy on my heart and I feel like venting it.  It stems from an incident that happened last Christmas season and I was recently talking about it with some friends.

I was standing in line at TJ Maxx to make a return. It was late. I had four hungry kids in tow. I was stressed.  That is beside the point, but I thought I would give you a mental picture of the situation.  The young girl behind the counter, around sixteen, was helping the lady in front of me.  She finished returning her item and then with a pleasant smile said, "Happy Holidays."

The lady in line looked up at the girl and responded, "we say Merry Christmas in our home because we still keep the Christ in our Christmas."

The girl just looked at the woman and said nothing.

My mouth dropped open, I instantly got hot and sweaty and was in a bit of shock.

Not one ounce of love came out of her mouth.  Not one bit of good was done.
I pray that girl was already saved and was looking at this woman with as much reproach as I was.

How far from Christ's love was that statement? In my opinion, hugely distant.

I did not say anything to this woman. Maybe from shock, maybe from disgust, maybe from the fact that my children were loosing it at the time.  But, I sure had plenty to say to her after the fact. I was mad. I am very thankful now that I didn't have an opportunity to speak, I would of most likely regretted it. 

After a good venting, out loud to myself while driving home, I began to pray for her. For the girl behind the counter too, but I knew God was way bigger then that one small statement made by a stranger.  I was more concerned about the woman feeling the need to make a statement like that.  I was praying that she would be able to walk freely in God's grace and portray that in her life to others.  That her tongue would stop spreading damageable phrases and that she would instead speak Christ's love just by her actions.

If "Happy Holidays," is said with Christ's love, it's far more needed than a thousand "Merry Christmases."

I really wish Christians would stop trying so hard and just let God do His work.  I really feel that we get in the way all to often.

I pray that us as Christians would stop trying to prove to others that Christ's sacrifice was sufficient. He has already proven it. We just get to walk freely in it and love those around us. Of course Christ is my Christmas, but I hope I show that to others through love.