Oh how I love Christmas lights!! As I was driving home from work one evening and houses were decorated with lights, I thought about how many times we just drive right by and say “oh that is so pretty” but don’t take the time to really stop and enjoy the lights. So I turned around, went back, pulled over and just took in the beauty of the display. There were lights on the house, lights in the yard, plastic figures lit up, and a simple nativity on display.
When my Uncle Joe had the light display in our town, I couldn’t drive by without pulling in and just sitting for a few minutes to take it all in – tens of thousands of tiny lights. It was magical, yet simple and not “gaudy” (in my humble opinion). There was a large bell, probably 5 feet tall, that would actually move back and forth powered by a small motor. There was a nativity scene that also twisted back and forth giving each piece a life-like image. There was a train, ferris wheel, and merry-go-round full of stuffed animals. Multiple miniature houses were filled with elves who also moved by tiny little motors appearing to be baking, wrapping and even instructing new elves in a classroom setting!
My favorite was Humphrey the bear who slowly peeked out from an old tree stump to see who was in the audience of cars and then would slowly slither back down for a few seconds to slowly reappear – doing that over and over hundreds of times in one given night.
I loved those lights and I loved my Uncle Joe and all the work he put into making people happy who came from miles and miles just to see the “Joe Day Christmas Display”. He lit up the town and brought light to a dark world for many people – if only for a few weeks.
Jesus offers us light that will last forever. In John 8:12, Jesus told the people: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
How great it is to enjoy the Christmas lights for a few weeks as we anticipate the celebration of the birth of Jesus. But the better news is that we get to enjoy the light of Jesus in our lives every single day, forever, if we ask Him into our hearts. Won’t you ask Jesus to get you plugged into his goodness today and live each day displaying the beauty of Christmas lights all year long!
