I grew up in a very religious Black family in the South. Christmas was more about the white Santa coming to our house than anything else.
We had a special meal on Christmas day. We would have a special Christmas program at some point at church where we would display the Christmas story through plays, speeches and carols. We would get a brown bag from the church with nuts, fruits and candy. We would put up a cedar Christmas tree just before Christmas which would stay up until Jan. 6, “Old Christmas.”
I knew nothing about other faiths and beliefs. I only knew about sinners and Christians. Although we were all poor, both “sinners” and “Christians” tended to celebrate Christmas in similar ways. For me, going to church on Christmas eve or Christmas day was not a part of my experience growing up.
As a grown man, I still see the old white man with a beard dressed in a red and white suit coming to houses, except for mine. A Black Santa comes to my house, riding in a car or truck, and he comes through the door, not the chimney. For me, this Jesus of color comes to save a world that sees the color of a person as a value rather than a distinction; a world that values wealth rather than humans. He came to a world where power is to be held or used for evil rather than be used for the ability to help others.
As a Christian now, I see Christmas as a season to celebrate the birth of this Jesus coming into the world to save people from their sins and from themselves. I see the stories in Matthew 1:18-2:12 and Luke 2:1-20 as stories that this Christ child came to offer salvation to a broken world. In the Matthew story, he came as a King and wealthy people paid attention to him. In Luke, he came to the poor/ordinary people who paid attention to him. All left praising God for this child.
I know some Christians who do not believe in the virgin birth. I know persons of other faiths and some with no faith who do not celebrate Christmas. Some have other traditions unrelated to the Christmas story as Christians know it. I know Christians who believe in the Christmas story without knowing the biblical basis for the story.
In fact, for whatever reason, two of the gospels do not have a birth story. Mark starts with the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and John dates the beginning of Jesus at the beginning of time.
I think this is a good time to reflect on my understanding of Jesus’ birth and what it means to me and the world. It would also be a good time to hear from those of other faiths and understand and respect what they do or do not do during this season.
I believe that Jesus came to bring peace, joy, hope, love and salvation to people of a world who desperately need it. During this season, Christians reclaim those values in reclaiming his birth.
Why can’t we be the Jesus of the world and bring peace, hope, joy, love and forgiveness to the world around us; not just to girls and boys, but to everyone. We can do that. It does not matter whether we are Christian or not. We should carry that Christmas spirit throughout the year. Yes, as far as I am concerned, Jesus is the reason for the season that should last not just one day, but all year.
The Rev. Ervin E. Milton is pastor of Union Chapel United Church of Christ, Burlington. He can be contacted at eem5050@aol.com.
