The Supplier
Standing on my tip-toes and peering through the peep hole, I waited excitedly as I watched for my dad to come around the corner and walk down the sidewalk with the christmas tree. After he brings it through the front door and sets it in its designated spot, we step back and take a look. Eleven months of sitting in the attic plus a trecherous journey down the attic stairs and through the front door does a bit of damage to that poor tree, and it dosn't help that the tree has made that journey approximately twenty-nine times over the years. My parents have had that tree since they were newly wed, and when it first comes down from the attic, it looks the part. Similar to the Charlie Brown Christmas tree, our little scruffy tree looks a little lacking when I see it for the first time each Christmas.
But then we turn on the Christmas music, unstring the lights, and unpack the ornaments. "Awww...here are all my Halmark puppy ornaments!" I exclaim as I hang them on the tree in chronological order. I have one for every Christmas of my life, starting with baby's first christmas. I think about all my Christmas memories as I hang each of them. My mom smiles as she hangs the ornament that her dear friend gave her. "I think of Nancy every time I see this," she says as she hangs it in a special place on the front center of the tree. My sister cackles when she discovers the infamous naked baby angel ornament. "Put that ugly thing on the back!" My mom says as we all laugh hysterically.
Each ornament gets a comment as we take turns hanging them: "Here's the star-bellied sneeches!..." "I found the the dancing ballerina pig!..." ("Where did all these come from?" my mom replies.) "I remember making this snowflake in first grade!" "Who decided to make this Christmas bell with a cow inside of it?" "Oh no, this one's head broke off!" (We hung it anyway.) "How many Santa-head ornaments do we have?!"
After we have hung approximately four thousand ornaments, we step back to take another look. Our scraggly tree doesn't look so bare anymore. In fact, it looks quite full and beautiful. Clothed in lights, red beads, and ornaments - each one with a story - our eclectic tree stands tall and glows colorfully.
This year, as I watched our lanky-limbed tree transform into a sparkling sensation, I saw myself. When I stood by myself, I was bare, scraggly, and lacking. But then, when Christ came into my life, he covered me in grace, mercy, light, and beauty. He clothed me with compassion and robed me in righteousness and peace.
On our own apart from Christ, we are nothing, but with Christ, we are whole and beautiful. We are made valuable. We are loved. We live with renewed purpose. He clothes us with light, and we shine brightly so that the world can see and glorify God, who is the supplier.
But then we turn on the Christmas music, unstring the lights, and unpack the ornaments. "Awww...here are all my Halmark puppy ornaments!" I exclaim as I hang them on the tree in chronological order. I have one for every Christmas of my life, starting with baby's first christmas. I think about all my Christmas memories as I hang each of them. My mom smiles as she hangs the ornament that her dear friend gave her. "I think of Nancy every time I see this," she says as she hangs it in a special place on the front center of the tree. My sister cackles when she discovers the infamous naked baby angel ornament. "Put that ugly thing on the back!" My mom says as we all laugh hysterically.
Each ornament gets a comment as we take turns hanging them: "Here's the star-bellied sneeches!..." "I found the the dancing ballerina pig!..." ("Where did all these come from?" my mom replies.) "I remember making this snowflake in first grade!" "Who decided to make this Christmas bell with a cow inside of it?" "Oh no, this one's head broke off!" (We hung it anyway.) "How many Santa-head ornaments do we have?!"
After we have hung approximately four thousand ornaments, we step back to take another look. Our scraggly tree doesn't look so bare anymore. In fact, it looks quite full and beautiful. Clothed in lights, red beads, and ornaments - each one with a story - our eclectic tree stands tall and glows colorfully.
This year, as I watched our lanky-limbed tree transform into a sparkling sensation, I saw myself. When I stood by myself, I was bare, scraggly, and lacking. But then, when Christ came into my life, he covered me in grace, mercy, light, and beauty. He clothed me with compassion and robed me in righteousness and peace.
On our own apart from Christ, we are nothing, but with Christ, we are whole and beautiful. We are made valuable. We are loved. We live with renewed purpose. He clothes us with light, and we shine brightly so that the world can see and glorify God, who is the supplier.
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