12 Days of Christmas/Day 2

Just so you know, this is not a picture of our family tree. But, as I sat with my husband last night reflecting on our Christmas festivities, he said, "There is something about our tree. I dont think we need to take it down just yet." I was already thinking that I would leave it up through January 5th, but because of His prompting to elongate our Christmas season, I did some research on the traditions around the 12 days of Christmas. This includes Christmas Day and the 11 days that follow. Maybe you grew up knowing the traditional meaning of the season. But for many, the fast paced commercialism of the holidays has taken over the slow, reflective traditions that seem to want to reemerge. So, let's look at St Stephen's Day (Day 2 of the 12 days of Christmas).

Stephen is one of my favorites in the New Testament as he is the first martyr in church history. He was known as a Hellenistic Jewish believer of Jesus. This meant that he belonged to a Jewish synogogue within in a highly Greek influenced town outside of Jerusalem, yet had come to faith in Christ. I took a class on the Book of Acts in college and wrote a paper about what that might have meant in the culture of his day. Most likely, Stephen was looked down on a bit, even in the church, because of the influence the Greek culture had on his religious practices. He was not "pure" like those in Jerusalem.

But, it is precisely Stephen's knowledge of what it meant to be "other" that God used to expand the Gospel message outside the walls of Jerusalem. We find his sensitivity on display as he speaks up for the widows that were not being cared for because they were not from Jerusalem. In doing so, the wisdom and grace he carried was recognized as he brought light into a divisive situation. The book of Acts goes on to show that he preached boldly and performed signs and wonders, but it was this specific activity that got him into trouble with the Jewish leaders. His message was different than say Peter or John. He preached through the lens of Israel's continual rejection of the prophets that God had sent with His message. He was stoned to death for his faith, but even in death, his last words were a prayer for mercy for those who did not understand what they were doing.

It was the death of Stephen that caused a highly respected Pharisee to gain momentum in persecuting the early church, scattering the early believers beyond Jerusalem. We now know this Pharisee as the Apostle Paul–the one who also had a radical conversion and preached Jesus to the Gentiles. And, it is precisely because of that generous spirit in both Stephen and Paul (the kindness shown to others through the preaching and practicing of the true Gospel message) that St Stephen's Day is celebrated.

Boxing Day is another tradition highlighted on December 26, and is still celebrated in some form today. This originated in Victorian England. The day after Christmas was set aside to give boxes of left over food to the servants who worked on Christmas, and to the poor. This coincided with the churches giving out alms to the poor in recognition of St Stephen on December 24 which is why, in many cultures, the two traditions began to merge together. Today, in our modern world, many now celebrate the day after Christmas as a day of rest to quietly reflect with gratitude on all our many blessings, and to look for ways to be generous to others.

So, as I leave my tree up for a few more days, my prayer is that everytime I look at it, I remember to cultivate a generous heart, certainly to those who are near and dear to me, but also to those who seem "other" than me, or those who have brought about harm towards me in some way. The truth is we have all harmed others whether willfully or unintentionally. And forgiveness, both in receiving and giving, is the only way forward.

This is the true message of Christmas, you know. That Jesus emptied Himself of His splendor (His perfect otherness) and came into our brokenness. He touched those who were deemed unclean or unholy (which is all of us). And in Him is life and peace to all as one new, redeemed people. The only requirement given to enter into this renewed family is to turn away from self-rule (our own attempts to save ourselves) and believe in the generous heart of God to save, heal, and deliver; allowing Him to reign in us though the power of the Holy Spirit. It is only then, when we truly understand what we have been saved from and saved into that we, like Stephen, can say, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." Is there anything more generous than forgiveness?