“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:” (Isaiah 9:6 KJV).
I started watching the sitcom “Seinfeld” only after it went into syndication. I guess the daily dose of reruns finally got me interested.
If you know anything about the show, you know that the character played by Jason Alexander, is an inept, self-absorbed, all around loser named “George.” Except in one episode– in this installment, George decides to do the opposite of what he would normally do in every situation. In a hilarious 30 minute story line, George finally gets the girl, becomes popular, gets promoted, etc. Apparently, when George does the opposite of his character’s nature, everything turns to gold.
In our consumer culture today we’ve turned Christmas into a frenzied time of spending and going into debt. The more we spend, the more unhappy we are with Christmas. In fact, the more we spend, the more unhappy we seem to be, period. In a recent survey, Americans ranked above every 3rd world country in the incidence of clinical depression. It seems that the more we spend, the more depressed we get.
Perhaps we should start doing the opposite. What’s the antidote to greed? What’s the therapy for spending?
Giving. That’s the antidote. That’s the therapy. Instead of doing what the rest of Americans are doing, do the opposite. Stop spending and start giving.
Do the opposite this Christmas. Spend less so that you can give more. That’s what God did when He gave us Jesus. That’s what Christmas is all about.