The Christmas season is upon us. Soon we will see snow on the ground with bright lights and Christmas trees all around. And that also means many businesses are incorporating Christmas into their advertising and rolling out their winter-themed products.
I recently saw that Starbucks is not putting “Merry Christmas” on their coffee cups this year. Many Christians have decried this as political correctness gone amok and are fighting back. One pastor famously went into a Starbucks to place an order and said that his name is “Merry Christmas” so they would put it on the cup.
I am a Christian. I celebrate Christmas every year and rejoice that Jesus Christ came to earth to save mankind. We see these stories about the “War on Christmas” every year. When I see what is happening at Starbucks, I am outraged.
I’m outraged that people are making such a big deal out of this.
A private business not printing “Merry Christmas” on a cup of overpriced coffee - a cup that will be in the trash an hour later - does not mean that the folks at Starbucks hate Christians. And it certainly does not take away anyone’s freedoms. Last I checked, we still had the right to put up Christmas trees in our own home, give Christmas presents to our friends and family, and attend Christmas church services. Until someone from the government knocks on your door and forbids you from engaging in these activities, nobody is waging “war” on you.
You may not agree with what Starbucks is doing, but as a private business, they have every right to do this. For one thing, not all of Starbucks’ customers are Christians. They don’t all celebrate Christmas. The company wants their image to the public to be one that is welcoming to people of all faiths and backgrounds.
But besides that, if you are deriving your joy this Christmas season from whether someone at a Starbucks restaurant says “Merry Christmas” to you, then your priorities are way out of order. I am secure enough in my faith that I don’t have to have it reinforced by every single person I encounter on a daily basis. God relies on Christians to be an example to the rest of the world. If you’re a Christian, it is your job to do that for others, not the other way around.
We hear some Christians complain about how we as a society are too easily offended. They get upset when people are offended by the term “Merry Christmas” or by the display of a Nativity scene. When we complain about what we don’t see this Christmas season, how is that any better? Many Christians also didn’t like it when a bakery was fined for refusing to cater a homosexual wedding. You can’t have it both ways.
When Christians make such a big deal out of something so trivial, it reinforces every negative stereotype that our media and so many non-Christians hold. Our goal is to win hearts for Christ. When we are confrontational and let things like this bother us, it only drives people further away.
Instead of complaining, how about we show kindness to each other this Christmas season? Do an act of charity for someone less fortunate? Spend time with the people you love the most? But most important, spread the good news about what Jesus did for us, without viewing those who are not Christians as an enemy. And if you say “Merry Christmas” to someone and they don’t say it back, choose to still have joy in your heart.
No comments:
Post a Comment