Change
I often consult the calendar as I contemplate what to write in this space. Matching my thoughts with those who read this content makes sense. What better way is there to establish commonality with an unknown group of people than to consider the season of the year? In this case, the holiday shopping commercials and the increasing number of trees draped in sparking lights I see in houses around town have informed me where our communal consciousness is currently located.
Instinctively, my mind soared to the idea of lamenting consumerism in place of a more traditional understanding of Christmas. As some of you may know, I was a manager at retailer Toys R Us for several years. When I think of too much being made of shopping and presents, I reminisce on holiday-related incidents I witnessed working 14-16 hour days between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. When I reflect on these good and negative memories, my mind goes to the fact that no one will be shopping at Toys R Us for many years now, at Christmas.
This made me think about how things have changed in my lifetime. Many businesses, once known as solid investments and stalwarts of commerce, are dying. Who would have imagined driving down a mile of road in a city and seeing four Starbucks and seven Verizon stores? Someday, those things will be gone, too, and people will look back on them with nostalgia.
Nothing brings this idea of change about more than the holiday season. The crazes of Tickle Me Elmo, Furby, and Virtual Pets are long gone. We notice the changes in our families as the pictures we take in front of the tree add and remove members as we celebrate new life and we mourn the loss of a loved one. The presents our children request go from dolls and action figures to technological items we may or may not understand ourselves.
As we dwell on these things, we are drawn back to the one thing that remains the same. The true story of God the Son taking on human flesh and dwelling among us to live a perfect life for us and bear God's wrath for our sin. Trends come and go. Businesses flourish and declare bankruptcy. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
It is baked into us to follow after the next big thing, to chase after change. As we look into God's Word, we see that he does not change. The Triune God has acted in history, and the message of that redemption in Jesus Christ does not change with time. We are saved by God's grace alone, through faith alone, on account of Christ alone. This is ridiculously good news because our chasing after trends rarely ends well. Dig into the depths of landfills,, and plenty of Tickle Me Elmo dolls will be found decomposing. Check the basement of a tech nerd like myself, and you will find the computer components of years past going unused in the same plastic storage boxes as the old video game systems that are no longer played. Even the trendy fashions in your Christmas boxes were probably out of style before the clothes wore out.
Jesus does not change, and neither does his gospel. That message of the incarnation of God the Son does not get old, and it does not wear out. Strengthened by the Word and Holy Spirit, may we faithfully proclaim the good news of God's saving work in Jesus Christ that does not change.
