December 26th
Second Day of Christmas
Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.
Colossians 3:18-21
For most of my life, I thought Christmas ended on December twenty sixth. The day after Christmas translated to the day Christmas decorations happily came down. And many of us are ready… with malls playing Christmas music at Halloween, the end of Christmas seems like a relief. But this year, I invite you to try something new with me. Let us continue to meditate on the wonder of Christmas. Let us journey to Epiphany, the day the magi arrive at the lowly stable.
Jesus was born within the Roman Empire, a culture of male dominance. Women, children, and slaves held no power. Men were the masters of all others. Our current culture often dismisses Paul’s description of the family, but the current culture often misunderstands. Paul’s letter to the Colossians drastically pushes back on Rome’s male dominance. With the birth of Christ, the father no longer held all the power. Jesus’ birth brought new mutuality in relationship, a submission to one another.
Earlier in chapter three of Colossians, Paul painted a picture of the Christian community. Now, Paul goes deeper, painting a picture of a smaller community, the Christian family. Family life is important because we are our most authentic selves within our families. And it is within this context that Paul invites Christians to live out true authentic love in mutual submission. But this is exceedingly difficult….
Before moving to San Angelo, Joel worked multiple church internships to fulfill denominational requirements. Everybody loved him. He was funny, hardworking, and caring… a bit different from the tired, crabby, and withdrawn man who came home at night. After watching this dynamic play out for several months, I felt heartbroken. I was even jealous. I wanted “church” Joel to live in my house.
To Joel’s credit, he responded with a humble heart to my broken plea. He heard me and changed. Sometimes we put our best foot forward for those outside our home, but the best reflection of our faith occurs within the home. Paul invites believers to do everything in the name of the Lord, this includes the mundane everyday elements of life. Discipleship occurs as we allow our faith in Jesus to ripple through all areas of our daily lives.
So, as we journey with the magi to the lowly stable, let us reflect on this call to live in mutual submission within our families. Let us be a light to this world through our authentic love for one another.
Comments