Not about the sparkles? Gasp!

Confession...

I have a sparkle addiction.

Ask my daughter.

I can enter Hobby Lobby with one thing on my list and the best of intentions, but before I know it I'm squirreling hither and yon, chasing the sparkles...

Ooohing and Aaahing like a love-sick sailor.

Hopeless.

So I was thinking about that this morning, very early this morning, as I turned on the twinkling Christmas tree lights and settled in for some time-with-the-Lord.

What is it with sparkles? And why was I feeling slightly disconcerted?

And then I remembered...

Aha! The movie we watched last night!

That's what this is all about...


The Nativity.

Now I love that movie.

And though it's not 100% accurate, I still get tears in my eyes and a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart each time I watch it.

But there's one part in it that always makes me flinch...

One part that makes me exclaim, "That's not right!"

"Where is the Heavenly Host?"

You know, the part where the Angel appears to the shepherd, bringing good tidings of great joy?

Alone???

Seriously???

I mean really, with all the CGI available, couldn't they have conjured up like a bazillion sparkling angels to burst into glorious songs of praise???

Instead there's one solitary angel.

And one shepherd looking very shepherdy to receive the greatest news EVER.

It just don't feel right, I tell you.

But in the early morning hours, after several cups of coffee, I am rethinking my rash raving.

Yes, there should have been a heavenly choir, 'cause that's what the Bible says.

But maybe there was another point to it all...

And it wasn't about the sparkles, hard as that is for me to wrap my head around.

Maybe, just maybe, it was to point us away from the angel...

To the miracle of Jesus...

Born in a stable to humble parents, at a time in history when all other lights had gone out.

Maybe all the sparkle and tinsel and noise of an angelic choir would only have detracted from the main point the producers wanted us to grasp...

The coming of The True Light into this World...

Jesus, God in the flesh, God With Us.

The story ultimately wasn't about the angel.

The angel had only one job, and that was to point us to Him...

The Christ of Christmas.

We celebrate Christmas not because it's historically accurate...

We're not even sure of the actual day He was born!

But because it's a messenger sent to remind us of the greatest Gift ever given...

And it was not covered in sparkles!

"He came into the world, and the world knew Him not"

The world was too busy chasing the sparkles...

And it still is.

Now someday I'm going to get my fill of sparkles...

In Heaven.

I'm sure of it!

But today I am making a decision...

That from now on, whenever I am drawn to the sparkles of life...

I am going to be reminded of the light and beauty of Jesus Christ...

And my need to keep my eyes fixed on Him...

Aspiring to the life He lived...

Bearing witness to the hope He brings.

That is my goal this Christmas and for every day of the New Year.

Dear ones, may our lives so sparkle before others that they are drawn to Him...

And bring Him the glory, honor, and praise He so deserves.

Merry Christmas!