Christmas Tree Christians

     Christmas trees can be beautiful things.  When they are decorated by someone who has a real "artist's touch" they can make the beholder stop and admire the beauty of the decorations.  (Of course they can be really tacky too.)  The thing about a Christmas tree though is that it is all show.  The decorations have to be attached on the outside.  Inside the tree is dead, or dying.  It has been cut off from the source of its life.  Then we decorate the outside and put it up as something to admire.

     Let me share some interesting passages of Scripture.  In Jeremiah 10:3-4 we read:  "The customs of the people are vain; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.  They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers that it move not."

      The reference here is to the making of an idol.  I can hear someone saying:  "My Christmas tree isn't an idol.  I don't worship it."  Maybe, but let's let the Bible interpret itself.  Speaking of idols Psalm 115:8 says:  "They that make them are like them."   In what way might I be like that Christmas tree?

     In Mark 7:21-23 Jesus says:  "From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within and defile the man."   Inside I am dead.  In myself is just a rotted, bug infested core.  And so from that death comes all kinds of evil wickedness.  We do our best to cover it up.  We decorate our poor mortal bodies with jewels, fancy clothing,  and decorations of all kinds.   The general rule is the more I pay attention to the outside, the worse I am on the inside.

      But more than these things,  we also try and decorate ourselves with "love, kindness, charity," and other  "good works".  We try and show off our "Christian Virtues", when in reality they are just attachments on the outside.  We do good things and enjoy being rewarded, or noticed, for our "good deeds".   Jesus said:  "You refuse to come to Me that you might have life.  I receive not honor from men."  (John 5:40-41)  He is the source of life, and was unmoved by the praise or condemnation of people.  He lived with no outward show, but with humility and meekness.  His life flowed out from what was within.

     So it must be with us.  Christ says to us today:  "I am the vine, you are the branches.  He that abides in Me brings forth much fruit.  Without Me you can do nothing."  (John 15:5)  We are not to call attention to the outside, rather let us concentrate on our connection to Jesus.  Study to be constantly connected to God through Christ.  Then His life will flow out naturally, and people will see the beauty of holiness and be led to glorify God.  As it is written:  "The king's daughter is all glorious within."  (Psalm 45:13)