christmas

The Philippines is into Christmas far more than we in America or Europe, can imagine.

Countdown to Christmas

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The Philippines is into Christmas far more than we in America or Europe, can imagine.

Christmas season does not start in December, the way it does in most of the world. In America, we grouse that stores have Christmas stuff for sale starting in early October. Part of our complaint is that they simultaneously want us to buy lots of gifts and decorations, but they also don’t want to acknowledge that Christmas even exists. Instead, they call it “holiday.”

Of course, part of that is due to the fact that we also have Jewish people who celebrate Hanukkah. We have other religions that don’t celebrate Christmas at all, or the commercial side of it. We also have Kwanza, which is a made-up holiday for people who don’t want to acknowledge religion at all, but worship their racial heritage (if you get upset at that, then rage over there in the corner. I can’t hear you anyway).

But Philippines has none of that. It is officially a Catholic country, and they lean in heavy on that most of the time. I’m not Protestant, not Catholic but then again, I don’t get offended by other people’s expressions of their own faith. I recognize that people have a right to do things somewhat different than I do.

Protestants definitely do celebrate Christmas, and there is actually far more that Catholics and Protestants have in common with Protestants, and I’m learning that more and more every day.

Back to Christmas…Here, the stores decorate for Christmas, and people start to celebrate the season, starting on September 1st. Yes, you read that right, almost a full 3 months in advance.

I started seeing automated billboards, similar to the header picture above saying, “Only 85 days till Christmas.” The stores were all decorated, etc. Here are some pictures that I’ve taken over the last few months.

I plan to have a Thanksgiving party (maybe pot-luck if I can). That would make my American-ness feel better served, I suppose. I’m not sure where I can get a turkey. That might make it seem more “normal” to me.

However, I can’t get over hearing “Let it snow…let it snow…let it snow” in the mall, while being in a country that has never seen snow, and my Christmas attire will consist of shorts. But I can still celebrate festively in sand instead of snow.

God With Us – Matthew 1:18–25

Matthew 1:21 – “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

This passage gives us a quiet look at Joseph’s character. Before the angel ever appears, Joseph has already decided to act with restraint and dignity. Whatever Mary told him, he clearly did not yet understand what God was doing. Still, he chose not to shame her publicly. That alone says something about the kind of man he was. He was trying to do the right thing with the information he had, even while confused and hurt.

It’s interesting to me, how honor shows up before clarity. Joseph doesn’t wait for everything to make sense before choosing kindness. After God speaks to him, he obeys, but his integrity was already there. I don’t always treat people honorably when I’m unsure of their motives or story, but I should. Joseph trusted God when God spoke, but he also lived in a way that left room for God to work. I hope to be that kind of man, one who chooses honor first and trusts God to meet me in the middle.

Small Beginnings – Micah 5:1-15

Micah 5:2 – “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Micah speaks hope into a time of threat and uncertainty. He points to a ruler coming from Bethlehem, but not a new person at all, someone ancient, even beyond what the people could fully grasp. This ruler would shepherd God’s people using God’s own strength, and his influence would extend far beyond Israel. It sounds a lot like Jesus to me.

It’s hard not to see Jesus here. Bethlehem, a shepherd-like ruler, and a greatness that reaches the whole earth all line up clearly. For me, this passage is less about action and more about confidence. Jesus really is the promised Messiah, and history is not drifting aimlessly. Christmas is about much more than a baby in a manger, a stable, or a silent night with shepherds and animals (come to think of it, that doesn’t feel very silent at all). Instead it’s about an ancient promise of God leading his people and setting everything aright.