Checkers and Thinkers
Dan Kunz
Are you a checker? I am. Although my wife might disagree at times, I love to check boxes. Not the boxes with Christmas gifts that most of us just opened, but the boxes next to our “to-do” lists. I will sometimes come up with lists of things to do, things to buy, or things to see. Putting a checkmark next to something I want to accomplish or drawing a line through it on my list gives me a great sense of satisfaction, comfort, and accomplishment. I’ve never looked in a mirror at the time, but I’m pretty sure I have a smile on my face while doing it. Now, getting back to my wife, she could probably list dozens of “projects” I’ve started and never completed. A friend just told me about a neighbor that replaced a broken window on the back of his garage and the sticker is still on the glass – ten years later! I’m not that bad, I don’t think…
Unfortunately, I’m afraid we’re sometimes all checkers when it comes to certain things that involve a great deal of preparation, such as Christmas. “Are you ready for Christmas?” was a question asked repeatedly in the last few weeks. Decorations up – check. Presents bought – check. Presents wrapped – check. Tree bought – check. Tree trimmed – check. Cookies baked – check. Cards bought – check. Cards sent – check. You get the idea. Hopefully, we completed all our tasks and checked all those boxes. Hopefully, we enjoyed time with family and friends, even if it was a COVID-Christmas. Now that it’s over, we can give Christmas itself a huge checkmark. But wait…
A familiar Bible passage gets added importance and meaning in the New Living Translation – Luke 2:19 “but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” Hmmm, should we slow down a little on checking that Christmas box? The account of Christmas, recorded for us in God’s Word, has more than enough for us to think about for days, weeks, and months. How did Mary feel about making a sixty- or seventy-mile journey while nine months pregnant? What was Joseph’s reaction when he was told there were no more rooms available? Just how dirty and smelly was that stable where Jesus was born? What did the shepherds think when the sky was suddenly filled with the “heavenly host”? Were Mary and Joseph filled with joy because of the birth of a son, or the birth of The Son, or both? The questions are endless…
It’s alright to throw out the tree. It’s okay to put away the new clothes and other gifts. It’s fine to serve the last of the leftovers to your favorite furry animals. It’s even acceptable to put that checkmark next to Christmas on our list of holidays to celebrate, but let’s take a cue from someone present and at the center of the first Christmas. We don’t know how long she lived, but I’ll bet that, to her dying day, Mary thought about the birth of her son and The Son. That’s a treasure we can share for eternity…