Long ago, just before Christmas, my mother, brother Mike, and I rode the trolley into Atlanta. We met my dad for dinner at the cafeteria in Rich's, a store of two buildings with a few stories connected high above a street. After dinner mother bundled her boys up tightly. (Falling would have required much help to get us back on our feet.) Then, our hands firmly in hers, the family marched out into the brisk night air.

 

Mike and I waddled down the sidewalk, amazed by the sights and sounds. Music tumbled out of the store onto those passing by. A Santa "helper" rang his bell as coins clanked in the bottom of a pail. Window display mannequins wore beautiful clothes and pretended to play with wonderful new toys. And on top of Rich's, shining on the street below, was the largest, most decorated Christmas tree I'd ever seen.

 

Then I noticed a man. He leaned against one of the windows, his face almost touching the cold glass. One hand pressed against the pane his breath briefly fogged. A tear rushed down his cheek. He did not see the clothes or the toys. His eyes were filled with the make-believe happy and laughing children.

 

Christmas is an interesting time. Many view this season as a time for worship. Others focus on being with family and friends. Some see it simply as a commercial enterprise for making money. But there's another side to these special days. One often ignored. Carefully hidden away to avoid the truth.

 

For many, the Christmas season---despite its songs, fellowship, and pageantry---is a time of great fear.

 

People are afraid of many things---losing jobs, not finding work---marriages ending, families breaking---growing old, dying young---expectations from success, suspicions from failure---being alone, being close---memories of the past, risks in the future---giving everything away, not being able to give at all.

 

Odd, isn't it? To have such fear while we loudly sing Joy to the World! Perhaps it's because we focus on the wrong things---jobs, money, marriage, family, age, success, failure, friends, the past, the future, ourselves. Perhaps...just perhaps...it's because we are not experiencing the next line of the song.

 

Luke 2:10-11 has among the most beautiful words ever written: And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. (KJV)

 

See that word behold? It's the Greek word idou. Some translations ignore the word, others interpret it as Look! or Listen! This little word is important and goes far beyond "pay attention." Behold...idou...what you are about to see, hear, feel, understand...experience to the fullest. And the focus of the angel's call for idou? Not tidings, joy or a city...but Christ the Lord.

 

Focus on Jesus. See, hear, and understand life in a new way. Forget about yourself, your wants and desires. Encourage others. Love others. Experience Jesus to the fullest!

 

Do you want to have great joy?  Do you want to live without fear?

 

Joy to the Word, the Lord has come!

 

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