One would need to be a Scrooge indeed to begrudge those who deny Jesus the happiness they enjoy on the occasion of the celebration of His birth. Jesus is for those who rest in Him, but He has indeed blessed the whole world. That said, there comes a time in everyone’s life for the airing of grievances and I have a whopper of a grievance with the world. It is simply this- what business do you, who believe you came from the primordial ooze by accident, who believe you will go to the dust and no longer even exist, who believe the entirety of the universe is just a thing with no meaning, have celebrating anything?
If all there is in the universe is matter and energy there is no reason whatsoever to value one day over another, one person over another, one choice over another. There is no room for making decisions of any kind because we seek always to choose the better. If there is no good there can be no better. Our choices are both random and meaningless. This holiday season I’ve seen your sentimental bromides about hope and kindness. Trouble is, you have no hope of any kind. You have no reason to suggest that hope is better than despair, nor kindness better than cruelty.
The story is told of the scientist who boasted to God that he was His equal, and could also create a man. God accepted the challenge and the scientist began scooping together bits of ground until God said, “Whoa, wait a minute. Get your own dirt.” In like manner you cannot dunk on Christian holidays grounded in God’s goodness and then build your own out of… what? It even fails inside out. That is, if central to “Festivus,” that holiday the writers of Seinfeld created for the hip heathen, is the “airing of grievances” I’m left to ask “On what basis could anyone ever have a grievance?” If I stole your marble rye, or lost your immigration papers or laughter while you were being mugged you have no ground to complain if there is no transcendent moral standard. Karma is perpetually lost when there is no roadmap.
I get the distaste unbelievers have toward believers. Their grievances against us have no standing from where they are coming from, but often do from where we’re standing. That is, we fall short of God’s standard, which standard they deny exists. To reject Him because we fail to measure up is to reject the very concept of measurement and therefore of failure.
My goal, however, is not to simply scold unbelievers for their unauthorized borrowing of our blessings but to invite them to actually own them. He gives freely to all who seek Him. Knock and the door will be opened. Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. You will have something to celebrate and Someone to thank. Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners, of which I am chief. By His perfect life, atoning death and vindicating resurrection I am redeemed and loved. Come and join the family.