External, superficial customs

It is three days after Christmas Day, and in my devotions time this morning I was led to this verse Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed)  by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

During the school holidays our children have been staying up a bit later in the evening. They have watching many of the 'Christmas' movies on TV which have been running for the past 2 weeks. Not one of the 10 movies they have watched centered around the real meaning of Christmas, Jesus birth.  I can't recall any of them even mentioning Jesus. Perhaps they should be known as 'Santa' movies!

I am not a big TV watcher, but whilst doing ironing early on Christmas Day, at 6am, I did stumble upon a program entitled, A Wise Man?  It was a very interesting look at the first Christmas from the eyes of one of the magi, and is presented in an everyday Australian setting. Such a shame it was on at 6am and wouldn't have had nearly the audience that the 'Santa' movies had. But well done to those people who made the movie, and those who contributed funds so that is could be aired at all.

This 'Santa Christmas' TV programming, coupled with the fact that it was very difficult to find any mention or display of Jesus birth in any shops' decorations shows just how far our world has moved away from the real meaning of Christmas. It seems that in today's' world, certainly in Australia anyway, the church is now primarily the only place you will find a mention of Jesus in relation to Christmas. 

When your senses of sight and sound are being bombarded with these non-Jesus 'Christmas' messages, it can be very challenging to 'not be conformed to this world, [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs].

For myself, I find it is a time when I need to be reading God's word more and more, sharing God's word more and more with our children, so that Jesus remains at the center 

of our celebrations. And then questioning what we are doing to celebrate the wonderful event of God's son coming to earth. Are we as a family getting too caught up in external, superficial customs? Definitely some soul searching to be done there!

As the sign outside of some churches says, Jesus is the reason for the season. I thank God there are some people bold enough to get the truth of the matter out there into the world!

Why not take a few moments post the Christmas celebrating to reflect on your own Christmas customs? Are there enough to help you remember that Jesus is the reason for the season?