Partners
in Parenting
“What
is Necessary?”
It seems like my process of getting
ready for Christmas this year has been more flooded with advertising than I
ever recall. Well, honestly, that is
probably due to doing some online shopping this year where an email address is
required to place the order. Funny thing
is: I’ve never ordered a gift and had it
sent to any place other than my home address.
Why is my email address important if you aren’t going to ship it to my
email address? Ah, advertising!
All this has made me very conscious
about what is necessary and important, and what is not! I am trying to notice the excessiveness of
Christmas. I am trying to sift through
commercialism to remain focused on Jesus, His birth, and worshipping Him. I have started to see things all around me
that “just aren’t necessary.” It has
become rather fun to do because I realize how abundantly God has blessed us
with so much. Do I need:
Dessert, an extra helping, more
clothes, another pair of shoes, a left turn lane on the bridge, the latest
version of all things “electronic” or “smart,” more lights and decorations to
make my house comparable to the neighbor’s house, etc.
Yes, parents, I even noticed that it
is a bit unnecessary to have a left turn lane on the bridge going over
the spillway about a mile south of school.
Really!! Part of me just wants to turn on my blinker and sit there for a
while to see what people do, but that might get me an overnight stay at a
psychiatric hospital or even a jail!
Like many things all around us, we don’t need it, but it is there.
What is needed is one thing –
Jesus! That goes for Christmastime and
every day of our lives. Jesus reminded
Martha of that in the Bible when Mary wouldn’t help her with the housework. Jesus reminded Martha that only ONE thing is
needed. What is necessary? JESUS.
“Martha, Martha, Jesus answered,
you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will
not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41,
42
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