‘Love not the world’—even in the gift-giving month of December?
By Dean Collins
The National Retail Federation says they expect Americans to spend nearly 960 billion dollars this Christmas season, which translates to record level spending and a 3-4% increase over last year.
And what will we buy? Well, just about everything from personal care and beauty products to books, games, video games, and all kinds of electronics. And of course lots of holiday food! The average person will spend about $875 on Christmas.
Nearly a trillion dollars of holiday spending! There can be no doubt we have commercialized Christmas.
Love the world?
Confronting that scenario, 1 John 2:15-17 presents an abrupt contrast. Reading these verses gives makes me pause and consider how I can write about, think about, pray about, and experience a meaningful Advent season in light of our over indulgence and love for “the things in the world.”
Hear the Word of the Lord:
“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
I am not suggesting that buying presents for your children and grandchildren or taking a gift to the host of next week’s Christmas party means you love the things of the world. It may simply mean you are loving and kind and even generous. But I do hope in this Advent season we will take time to evaluate our love for the things of the world, which is demonstrated not only by how much we spend but also by how much we desire the things of the world over the things of God.
Abundant life
John said that whoever does the will of God abides forever. John also recorded the words of Jesus in his Gospel: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Jesus came the first time so that we might have life and have it in abundance. When he comes again and the final restoration of all things is complete, I am confident we can’t even imagine the abundance that is ours in eternity. What we must be diligent about now is not to allow the world and the things of the world to block our view of the precious gift of life that is ours in Christ Jesus.
Lord, we confess that way too often we have drifted much too far into pursuing the pleasures and treasures of this world. Forgive us. We confess that we are guilty of getting so caught up in the commercialism of Christmas that we carelessly spend and buy things that don’t really express our love to others but simply make us feel better. Forgive us.
Fill us with your love so that our words and actions become the tender gifts of mercy and grace and that others will see you in us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
1 John 2:15-17; John 10:10 ESV
Photo by Tina Zupancic at istockphoto.com
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