walking around / head full of sound

"Without a vision the people perish" ~Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)

It is during these days of holidays that I think this parable is more important than ever.

During this season of family gatherings, meal preparations, trips, card-sending, dressing-up, tree decorating, gift-giving, TV specials and the like; it is easy to feel like everything is clamoring for our all our time - all at once.

Every ad claims to offer the thing we need to save us this holiday season. So, with all these things making demands on our time, we haggardly run through our days from one thing to the next; until finally, inevitably, we collapse.

I think this is why everyone is sick of Christmas by the time it arrives.

That point is so important I want to say it again: By the time December 24 finally rolls around, everyone is nearly sick and tired of Christmas because all these promises of holiday cheer has been shoved in our faces for (at least) over a month.

 

For most of November and December commercials, stores, and ads have been hocking us images of the perfect evening with the family, offering images of salvation by turkey, trinkets and trees.

It's worth noting, though, that the same saving evenings these advertisements promise, are the very evenings that are gobbled up in the dash for that perfect holiday gift. That's finally the hole in the promise these ads offer; they say buy this thing for the perfect evening, and as we rush to get whatever that thing is, the quiet evening with family that we really want, grows smaller and smaller in our rearview mirror.

So when everything cries for all of our time, offering salvation; I believe it is so important to have a vision, and to be committed to following that vision.

With clarity of vision we will be able to discern what is truly important from what merely pretends to be.

In our struggle to stay focused during this holiday season the story of the three magi is particularly suitable for all of us to meditate upon. As the star beckoned them to the savior, these wise-fellows traveled a significant distance to get to Bethlehem. Undoubtedly their travels presented many trials and diversions; yet with the star as their guide these magi made it to the manager.

So when these sojourners finally came upon the trough cradling Christ, they were not sick and tired from a long journey; but over-joyed! 

These magi had a vision that they were committed to following, and nothing could deter them (not even the newest model of camel. "Now with four humps!").

This example of the magi is as good a paradigm as any for the being committed to a vision; and it is especially fitting during the holiday season.

 

Through these days we will be confronted with many things claiming to deserve all of our time and attention. With a vision to guide us, though, we will be able to discern what we truly need.

It isn't the right outfit, hairdo, meal, or table setting; instead it's the child born in a manager.

As we pray for a vision for Trinity, and each of our own lives, let us remember during this season that God has put a star in the sky as an exclamation-point saying, "Here I am. I will be your Vision."

During this season of Advent, let us watch expectantly for our Vision, God, to show up in our midst.

Amen