Monday, December 4, Tools of Christmas

"They are tools, not toys," says Father Christmas when explaining the purpose of gifts in C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Father Christmas arrives at the moment of greatest fear: when the children and beavers, fleeing the oncoming witch, think they have been overtaken. Father Christmas appears to deliver presents for the coming battle between good and evil.

This perspective should guide us as we exchange the gifts of Christmas. They are the tools to show the world who Christ is. It might be hard to imagine an ipod or a Wii serving as a tool of Christ. But with a little creativity, a downloaded itune can be a song of encouragement. A Wii can be the platform for starting a friendship with a person who does not know the love of Christ.

On Saturday, our church is using gifts as tools. Sleeping bags for children, food for adults, and shoes for everyone are instruments of Christ's peace during Advent. By sharing these gifts, we have a platform for building relationships with people who do not normally come to our church and may not know the hospitality of First Baptist.

It's all in how you use the tools.