A LESSON IN LOVE

It’s Christmas Eve and I have yet to buy any presents and the only thing in my house that signifies that Christmas is in swing is a busted up Elf on the Shelf doll who is hoping that today is his last day on earth and that he gets put out of his misery.  Don’t worry, I will make sure of that and it will be captured on film.

My late shopping spree today or my destruction of Elf over the past couple of weeks doesn’t mean that I hate Christmas, it just means I’m a big procrastinator and I love setting stuff on fire.  haha.  Minus the pressure that might come with buying gifts for people that have everything they need, I actually really love this time of year.  All of the commercialism and craziness that comes with this holiday can’t take away what’s at the core of Christmas and that’s the “spirit of giving” and “love”.

Regardless of whether you believe in a virgin birth or whether someone died for you and rose from the dead, it is a fact that there was a man that walked this earth named Jesus.  He had a father and a mother, he was a fisherman and a carpenter, and he spoke truth and impacted so many lives wherever he went.  His message was one of truth, power, forgiveness, and love and it resonates throughout the world to this day.  He’s one of the most famous and long lasting names you’ll ever hear and he’s not going away anytime soon.

Like many of you I too question a lot the crazy “hard to believe” stories in the Bible, but I’ve always taken to heart the fact that Jesus was a real person who delivered a real message and powerful teachings.  Many people hesitate to acknowledge this because they don’t want to give props to anything coming out of the Bible, but the story of Jesus goes beyond that and again, his existence is historical.

With this said, I encourage you all to take his message to heart this Christmas and know that in one word his message and existence was very pure and simple . . . it was “love”.  Everything he taught had love in mind and it was love that moved him to do and say everything that he did.  Please don’t allow American Christianity or Joel Osteen’s huge mansion to taint the message of love that poured out of this man.  The American church has not done a great job of representing God or delivering this message of hope and love to the world and I hope that changes.  The Jesus that I know, who’s words I take to heart is someone who would love the hell out of you, give you big hugs, shoot straight with you and tell you the truth, give you the shirt off of his back, have a drink with you, answer your call at 3am when you get stranded on the streets, love you unconditionally, never give up or walk out on you, and literally lay his life down for you.

Again, he was a real man with a real message and if we do anything this Christmas, let it be done out of love.  For every present you give to someone this week be sure to add huge hugs in there.  Give to those that have nothing and live in a way that has “love” and “laying my life down” written all over it.

Have an awesome Christmas everyone.  Love you.

@hectorgarcia