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Spiritual Slothfulness: How We Makes Exuses

 

There is no way we are going to banish the folklore of Christmas. Santa Claus is here to stay, and the true St. Nicholas was an exemplary saint who has gotten lost in the Celtic and Nordic folk version. While I have advocated that it is unwise to do the tradition of Santa because it establishes with children that you will lie or tell them white lie about a mystical being which then cause them to question what you say about God later, I realize many parents are going to do the tradition of Santa. I grew up with, being honest, and I am here preaching from this blog pulpit. I think since people are going to do the tradition of Sinter Claus, we have to then submit that to the more important aspect of Christmas, Christ Jesus our Lord. It is crucial that children know the True God is Jesus, and the account of Him coming as a child at Christmastime. If you are going to do the pretend Santa stuff on Christmas Eve, you better take your kids to Church for carols or read the Luke Chapter One and Two. It is important that Santa be submitted to The Savior, that the priority is The Christ, not the Claus. 

Some may say, "my kids won't sit still to hear the reading," or for carols. Oh but you are able to somehow get them to stand in line for hours to see Santa Claus. Come now, its your slothfulness in the spirit, not the child that is to blame, you are using them as an excuse. I find it so ironic that people say "How long is this sermon going to be?" but they will spend hours on Youtube listening to self help gurus or go to a counselor for an hour. You see its a matter of spiritual slothfulness, yes one of seven deadly sins I am calling you out on! We make all this time to binge watch shows, to go shopping, and to sit at a coffee shop and gossip, but the spiritual practices of reading Scripture, Sermons, and Spending time in God's presence somehow is this chore! It should not be so! That is because the spirit of sloth has crept into your spirituality, it creeps in slowly,. much like a sloth, working its way into your daily routine, as you put off God and put on doing other stuff. 

I am not trying to guilt or make people adopt a ascetic lifestyle. I understand that your lives are busy, but you carve out time for entertainment, why will you not carve out time to be with Emmanuel (God With Us)? You are not only depriving yourself to put your spirituality on the back burner, you are sending a message to other eyes watching you. How can you expect your kids or relatives to be excited about Christ if you are not, and yet you go out of your way to prop up Santa Claus. We have to prioritize, our spirituality effects others, especially the lack thereof. There is beautiful belief in Marionite Church that we are Christ Carriers, that we carry like Mary (not exactly same of course, its imagery for us) Jesus into other people's lives. How can we expect to do that if we won't even do that among our families? The Family is ground zero of our gospel witness. I am not saying you will save them, sometimes it takes a stranger preacher or friend to reach the stubborn soul in your family, but you need to be able to stand before The Lord on Judgement Day and say, "I did my part, I bore witness to you Lord to them and they made their choice." 

We are living in a very dark world now, and more than ever we need to be candles. I am not saying you have to forgo the Santa Claus aspects, though I have made my concerns known, but you cannot neglect the True Meaning of Christmas, Christ Jesus. The spirit of sloth wants us to just be entertained, to build up what is not eternal, for remember that oneday all this will pass away in flames, "The day of the Lord will come as a robber comes. The heavens will pass away with a loud noise. The sun and moon and stars will burn up. The earth and all that is in it will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, you should think about the kind of life you are living. It should be holy and God-like. You should look for the day of God to come," (2 Peter 3:10-12), but the Lord's Words will remain forever, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." (Matthew 24:35). Amen.

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