I came across Jen Hatmaker's blog The Christmas Conundrum, about her conviction to cut back this Christmas. To do less. To worship more. As I read it, I thought, "Yes!" My favorite line from her article is: "Our family is going to celebrate Jesus this year in a manner worthy of a humble Savior who was born to two poor teenagers in a barn and yet still managed to rescue humanity." Yes! Doing less is good.
Then I read this article about why one parent, Lyz Lenz, chooses to go all out on Christmas gift-giving to her children: Why I'm Buying My Children A Lot of Presents and as I read, I thought, "Yes!" My favorite line from her article is: "I'm giving her gifts the way I want her to learn to give -- with generosity and without expectation of reciprocity. In sum, it's grace." Yes! Doing more is good.
I realized that I fully believed in two seemingly contradictory principles, and I wasn't going to let this bother me.
But then a friend of mine voiced her own confusion over the many convicting online articles that contradict one another. Who is right? What is right? What is the best way to celebrate Christmas in a way that honors the child in the manger? Is it better to do less? It is better to do more?
The answer is: Yes!
As with so many things, the Bible makes it clear that God cares far more about our heart than our actions (1 Samuel 16:7, Psalm 51:16-17, Matthew 22:36-40, Matthew 23:23-27, Titus 1:15...so many more...). So, the real question I need to ask myself as Christmas approaches is, "How is my heart?" I can ask God to help me search my heart (Psalm 139:23-24) to see if there is need for me to do more or do less this Christmas.
If my heart is filled with gratitude and love, and I feel that I have so much to give, the answer is probably: Do more.
If my heart is grieving and absent of joy, and I am considering forcing myself to put up Christmas lights out of guilt, the answer is probably: Do less.
If my heart is in aw of the innocence and joy of my children, and I want to encourage that, and grow more childlike in my own joy, the answer is probably: Do more.
If my heart is angry, snapping at my children because they are getting in my way as I try to perfect classroom goodie bags and sparkling teacher gifts, the answer is probably: Do less.
If my heart is thankful for my blessings, and I want to share what I have with others who have less, the answer is probably: Do more.
With God's help, I can judge whether cutting back or doing more this year will help grow my heart in the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. With God's help, I can know whether saying yes or no to a particular activity will grow my heart more for Him and for others (Matthew 22:36-40), or whether that particular activity will do more harm than good. And most likely, there are both things I need to do more of this year, and things I need to do less. Often it's down to the very minute:
God, would doing more or doing less in this moment most help me to worship you in a spirit of joy, peace, and love? Will doing more or doing less in this moment most help me to grow in love for You and for others?
Ask, lean in, listen, discern, and then do...more or less...as the Spirit leads.
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