We’ve all had those days—running late for work because everything that could go wrong that morning has. You’re finally ready to head out the door, but your keys are nowhere to be found. The frustration builds until you finally find them under the pile of mail on the table.
Joe Ligon (senior associate executive director of Oklahoma Baptists) recently shared with us some insights from Zechariah’s song in the first chapter of Luke. It was a wonderful message from an often-overlooked passage. As he was sharing with us, he recounted the story of Mary and Joseph accidentally leaving Jesus in Jerusalem. He said, “How is it you misplace the Son of God?!”
While the comment was a bit comedic in context, it struck me differently. I realized that it happens all the time, and it’s much more significant than a missing set of keys. It’s not that Christ is ever lost, but He is often removed from the proper place of honor, prominence and majesty that He deserves. He is misplaced.
Ironically, we see this a lot during the holiday season as well. This time to celebrate His birth—the remarkable and glorious reality of Emmanuel, God with us—has shifted to a focus on gifts, decorations, songs, stories, treats and lights. These things are not innately wrong. In fact, they each point to Christ in their own way when utilized correctly. But we must intentionally evaluate their place in our lives and discern if they are turning our eyes to Jesus or away from Him.
Dr. Ligon pointed out that, even though Zechariah and Elizabeth’s child was a long-awaited miracle, and though this child’s promised future meant great things for Israel, the first verse of Zechariah’s song still focused on Christ. He commented, “You can’t go wrong when you put Jesus first.”
If your keys being in the wrong place can have such a negative impact on your day, imagine the consequences on your life of not having Christ in His proper place. Each moment is a gift and an opportunity to fix our eyes on Jesus or on the things of this world. In Colossians 3:2-3, Paul exhorts Christians to “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”
This Christmas, let the lights remind you that Jesus is the light of the world. When you open a gift, be reminded of the greatest gift mankind has ever known. As you look upon the evergreens (even the fake ones), thank God for His eternal, unfailing love. Let the magic of the holidays become a call to worship our beautiful Savior and Creator.
