There’s something undeniably special about Christmas, when you look at it through the eyes of a child. It’s the wonder, the enthusiasm, the bliss that flows from their hearts, it’s contagious.
Their wide-eyed awe as they gaze at twinkling lights, as their ears attentively pay attention to the pure delight in the songs of the season, their heartfelt belief in the magic of it all.
At Christmas time, children have a profound way of reminding the rest of us of what it means to truly believe.
And perhaps that’s the gift we all need this Christmas; a reminder to take hold of the season with a childlike faith.
When we read or are reminded of the story of the first “Christmas” in the bible, we can’t help but think of the innocent faith of the shepherds, the wise men, and even the Holy Family.
Not having all the answers, but still trusted, they believed, and they followed the signs of God’s promise with a heart full of hope and expectations.
Mary, just a young girl, agreed to be a vessel to the humanly impossible with a quiet but steadfast faith. Joseph, her humble fiancé, trusted God’s instructions and promises even when everything in an ordinary standpoint didn’t make sense.
The shepherds, ordinary men living simple lives, dropped everything to see the awaited Savior that will bring healing and reconciliation between humans and God.
And the wise men, with their rich knowledge and understanding of the world, followed a star, trusting that it would lead them to the promised King.
At the heart of Christmas is this beautiful, childlike faith. A faith that isn’t bogged down by doubt, or skepticism.
It’s a faith that believes in the impossible, one that trusts in promises, even when we can’t see the full picture of what things are supposed to look like.
It’s the kind of faith that fills a room not only with peace, but also fills a heart with unexplainable joy.
The Wonder of a Child’s Faith
Have you ever taken the time to watch a child on a Christmas morning, their face lighting up with joy as they discover the presents under the tree, or catch sight of stockings hung with care?
To them, it’s magic. Just simply pure and humble magic.
There’s no skepticism, no hesitation, just excitement and trust that this is a time for celebration, a time for giving and receiving and having fun with friends and loved ones.
In the same way, when we especially as Christians, we approach Christmas with childlike faith, we can rediscover the magic of God’s love.
There’s no need to overcomplicate it, or analyze it to the time of our death. We just need to believe. To believe in the miracle of the birth of Jesus being a reality.
To believe that God’s love is real, that He sent His Son to be with us, to redeem us, and to fill our hearts with peace and hope, and to grant us the gift of eternity.
Children don’t wait for all the full details to fall into place before they act in faith. They don’t need to understand the full story of the nativity, or know the timeline of Jesus’ life.
They simply know that something amazing is happening, and they respond with joy, and wonder of the reason to this season. But isn’t that what Christmas is all about?
Responding to God’s love with a heart full of awe and a spirit full of trust and gratefulness.
A Simple, Uncomplicated Faith
As we grow older, it becomes easy to get caught up in the complexities of life, in the preparations and demands of the holiday season, and in all the distractions that hover to pull us away from the true meaning of what Christmas should be about.
But children have a way of reminding us that, Christmas doesn’t need to be perfect. That it doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive.
It simply needs to be filled with love, joy, and the wonder of Christ’s birth. It should be more educative than entertaining, to a point where everyone forgets what it is exactly being celebrated.
Now looking at it and maybe this why Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
Because there’s something about the purity of a child’s faith, the simplicity of their trust, that reflects the kind of faith Jesus wants us to have towards Him, and His promises.
A faith that doesn’t hold back or doubt.
A faith that fully embraces the gift of His love without trying to control, question, manipulate or even analyze it.
A faith that trusts that He knows what He is doing, and He has our best interest at heart, even though things may not make sense in the moment.
The Gift of Faith
So, for this Christmas, let’s all strive to embrace a childlike faith.
To let go of our doubts and worries, or what the future may hold, and perhaps try to control aspects of it and what we feel may make sense to us, but simply rest in the joy and laughter and comfort of the season.
Let’s all rediscover the beauty of the Christmas story, not through the lens of just logic or reason, but through the lens of awe and wonder, of the gift that was given to us two thousand years ago on that cross.
Let’s embrace the miracle of the birth of Christ, with hearts full of trust and humility, and eyes wide open to the love that God has for us, and the sacrifices that He made and continues to make for us.
Realizing that there’s no greater gift than the gift of faith in God. And like a child eagerly waiting to unwrap a present, let us open our hearts wide this Christmas to the love and protection of God.
Let us remember that the greatest and most important miracle of all is not found in the presents we unwrap on that Christmas morning, but in the tiny, helpful baby born in a manger who came to change the world for the better.
So, during this Christmas, let’s make room for importance of having childlike faith.
Let’s take a step back from the chaos of the world and rest in the simple truth of the season: God loves us and He cares for us deeply.
And that love came down to us in the form of a baby later, a man on the cross offering Himself as a living sacrifice for every last bit of our sins.
Let that truth fill our hearts with peace, joy, gratefulness, humility, excitement and wonder, just like a child on Christmas morning opening presents.
Merry Christmas, and may you experience the miracle of Christmas with the faith and joy of a child.
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