Joyful Lights

For many folks in the congregation, it wasn’t the easiest year. So, I thought it would be nice to go above and beyond with Christmas lights. We could all use a little more joy! I did not anticipate, however, that lights would go up before the end of October. In my household, Christmas never began before Thanksgiving. We’ve violated the natural order of things!

At the same time, it’s a little odd to want the joy of Christmas to hold off. I’ve never understood why churches don’t put up Christmas lights, aren’t we supposed to be leading the joy of the season? Putting lights up in October might cause people to give a side-eye, but that’s not all bad. Afterall, we do have “joyfully Christian” in our mission statement. 

Holiday lights are our little way of pushing back against the darkness. Given the times we’re in, there might need to be a long-lasting light in the world. Personally, I am tired of the division. I loathe the mean-spirited nature of our public discourse. I am ready for the bullying of our brown neighbors and trans siblings to be out of fashion. I am ready for compassion to be the norm, inclusion to be routine, and for human dignity to be the minimum. Friends, at the heart of our Christian witness is joy. It is joy for the world and all people in it.

If we postpone the lights until the expected time, we might miss an opportunity to communicate something bold and new. Sometimes joy can’t wait until the perfect circumstances, we need it now. The promise of Christ's coming arrived before the world was ready to receive it. No one, not even Mary, was prepared for Jesus.

Maybe the people hanging Christmas lights in October understand something important about our Savior. We don't have to wait for the calendar to give us permission to brighten the neighborhood and the world. We are choosing joy. I encourage you to drive by the church in the dark and see if the lights make you smile, if so, then perhaps we've accomplished something good.

After all, the world has plenty of darkness. We could probably use a few more people willing to turn on the lights. Joy is worth celebrating whenever we find it. My prayer is that we become people who don't wait for the world to get brighter before we shine a little light of our own.

Tidings of joy,

Pastor Lucas