John 3:30 – He must become greater; I must become less. (NIV)

Our church is currently doing an online study of C.S. Lewis' great book, "Mere Christianity". It was written during the dark days of World War II and is based on the weekly BBC radio talks he gave to the British people. Some of the language and idioms seem out of date, but many of the thoughts in his book apply as much today as they did sixty years ago.

The third section of the book deals with Christian behaviour and morality. Lewis expresses a thought that I had never come across before. When the Nazis announced that they had established a one-thousand-year Reich, they did this to diminish individual German citizens, to make them feel less important than the state government. Lewis countered this heresy with a brilliant insight: if the Christian belief is that people live forever and that kingdoms, principalities, and governments rise and fall, then the individual is infinitely more valuable than any state, no matter how long it lasts. In other words, human beings are eternally precious in the Lord's sight, and all governments are merely temporary vehicles that are used to hold societies together.

In these turbulent days of political correctness and the diminishing of Christmas in the public sector, isn't it comforting to know that when all our laws have turned to dust and the nations of the world fade away, Christmas will still be eternally celebrated among God's people in heaven and on the new earth? As always, Christ and His church become greater as our society and our systems become less important in the eternal scheme of things.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, politicians and lobbyists can take Christmas out of our public places, shopping malls, and city schools, but they cannot take it out of our hearts, our homes, and our churches. Thank You that at this time of year, we can still depend upon Your light to shine amongst us, Your hope to be present within us, and Your love to be shared throughout our community, our country, and the entire world. In Your holy name, we joyfully pray. Amen.

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John Stuart <traqair@aol.com>
Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
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