Occupy the manger #8: A season of peace?

Last updated on: July 17, 2014 at 2:36 pm by Morgan Guyton

Occupy the manger #8: A season of peace? 2014-07-17T14:36:53-05:00 Morgan Guyton

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Yesterday, I had to do the devotional for our church staff meeting so I chose Isaiah 9:2-7 which is the Old Testament reading for this final week before Christmas. This is the passage that describes Jesus as the “prince of peace.” We pondered together what it means to understand peace as the agenda for Christmas. Peace in Hebrew is shalom, which means more than just an absence of physical violence or conflict. Sometimes people describe shalom as “peace with justice.” But I think that even this definition is too limiting, because it’s not just a world in which everyone is appropriately punished for their wrongdoing. In such a world, everyone would be in prison. Shalom is “completeness.” It means that everything is in its right place and everyone feels safe and loved. There is neither nervous chatter nor awkward silence, because there is no anxiety boiling under the surface. People who suffer or have needs aren’t pushed dismissively aside because their neediness would ruin the spirit of the party.

If the goal of Christmas is to create peace, then how do we address the anxious un-peace that the holiday season tends to produce? My tendency is to be very cynical and condemn the frenzy of Christmas decoration and shopping as being shallow and plastic. I like to remind people over and over again about how dirty and smelly the original Christmas was in the manger with all the animals around. But my colleague raised a challenging question. What about people who genuinely love beauty and enjoy making their houses beautiful with Christmas lights and other decorations? What’s wrong with throwing Jesus a big party and making His birthday an occasion for extravagant celebration?

I suppose I could say: how can you party self-indulgently when other people are living in abject poverty? But immediately I remember how Jesus rebuked the disciples who scolded the woman that dumped perfume all over His head for wasting money that could have been given to the poor. He said, “The poor will always be with you,” which doesn’t mean don’t help poor people, but does mean don’t judge other people for throwing a big old holiday party.

On the other hand, the merriment of the holiday season really can create an environment that’s emotionally oppressive to people who feel like they have to slap on a smile and engage in cheery banter. So I feel like it’s within the spirit of shalom to tell people it’s okay not to be jolly during a festive time, but you need to somehow do that without denigrating those whose festivity is coming from a place of genuine delight and interest in spreading shalom rather than anxiety.

I’ve been to several holiday parties so far this season. I’ve had a great time that was filled with real, genuine conversations. I haven’t really encountered the shallow banter that I sometimes think is supposed to occur at parties like that. I have been touched by all the attention to detail that the hosts gave to decorations and all the different hoers d’oerves they cooked. It clearly must have taken hours to get ready. The hospitality that I have received has definitely blessed me with a spirit of shalom this Christmas season. God has been teaching me a lot.

Previous Post

December 19, 2011

Occupy the manger #7: Mary's uncomfortable prophecy

Next Post

December 23, 2011 Occupy the manger #9: Peace on Earth for whom?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advent Beauty Will Save the World Bible Big Picture: Ephesians Bloggers Book Christian salvation and the Beautitudes Culture Daily Office Danceable Homiletics Deadly Sins Deep Roots: Genesis Devotions Dominican Republic May 2011 El Principio Misericordia (The Mercy Principle) Five verses God tattooed on my heart Fundraising FutureGospel Good Biblical Words Henri Nouwen Interview Jennings' Christian Imagination Jesus inside the beltway Jesus Is My Candidate Jesus vs the Pharisees Jesus vs. Plato Journey to Eternity Looking Back on 2012 Love Actually Monday Merton Monday Merton Music Occupy the manger On Earth As It Is In Heaven Original Sin Podcast Poetry Politics Prayer Psalm 119 Radical Jesus 101 Reviews Sermon on the Mount Sermons Spanish Bible study Special Series Spiritual but not religious Synchroblog Theology Things that made me think Thomas a Kempis Ugliness Into Beauty Uncategorized Viaje Dominicano 2013 Walking in the Valley (Lent) Welcome: It's More than a Mat Wild Goose 2013 Wrestling

Select a Month March 2022 January 2022 December 2021 September 2021 April 2021 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In what city was Jesus born?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Rome Jerusalem Nazareth Bethlehem