It seems like every year, the Holiday Season kicks off earlier and earlier. It used to be that the day after Thanksgiving was the true start to the holiday season, but it appears as though Costco is now the official harbinger of the holidays. When Christmas decorations show up in Costco, the season has begun. When it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas, many retailers understand that the earlier they start the more profits there are to be made. As it turns out, the same is true in our lives, but I am not referring to financial profits.
When it comes to these two holidays, we can't just wait to give thanks on Thanksgiving, and then give gifts and bless others on Christmas. Instead, we need to start early. Christians, not Costco, should be the ones to kick off the holiday season, but it shouldn't just be a season, it should be a lifestyle. Surrounding these holidays, we have two simple biblical truths:
Psalm 100:4 "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."
Acts 20:35 "...remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Thanksgiving isn't just a day or a season, but a way in which we should live. Christmas shouldn't be the one day that we give, but instead it should be a reminder of the gift that God gave to us in His Son. There is no better time to have a thankful heart and to give than today. Major retailers pull in huge profits by preparing early for the holiday season, so how much more so will believers profit spiritually by living out the Biblical truths behind these holidays? Don't wait until Thanksgiving to share your gratitude for God's blessings or thank family, friends, and co-workers in your life. Don't wait for Christmas to treat that same person to Starbucks. Let's start early.
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