I cannot check the details, as I had to get rid of the book the two words I quote below came from. It was by Helmut Thielicke. It’s title was either “The Meaning of Life” or “I believe.” I had both, but I had to give them away along with hundreds of other books due to their potential danger to my lungs! To buy a physical copy of either of them now could cost qnything from 1p. to £800 from some sellers! Fortunately there are electronic versions available which means the danger to lungs posed by second hand books can be avoided at a reasonable cost!

Whatever, in the context of talking about a favourite photograph of his, of a nativity play in a prison in which the prisoners played all the parts ( even the angels!), Thielicke warned about making a “snobbish judgement” about folk who don’t perhpas have much to do with God at other times of the year celebrating Christmas. It is a good warning. See in that reality something of the power of the light of Christ to touch, even in our day and age, those who may be afar off. Don’t dismiss it all as sentimentality. Some of it no doubt is, but not all. It is the reach of His hand and Kingdom into the darkness to give even a little passing light. For some it really is the spark of something divine beginning.

I was given a coffee for free in a shop the other day by someone who as far as I know takes no interest in the things of God. In a small way, profit, buying and selling were set aside to allow something else to emerge. There was genuine good will behind it. It led to quite a lengthy conversation about “this time of the year.” Just saying…don’t be a Christian, born again, bible believeing, Spirit-filled  snob about Christmas.

God bless

Kenny