Friends,

Lately we’ve been hearing more criticism about Christmas and materialism. I’ve heard commercials from an organization that encourages people to give to charity instead of buying gifts for others for Christmas. The commercial implies how much better our world would be if we cut the commercialism of Christmas.

I think this is a short-sided view of Christmas and materialism. First, I view materialism as an attitude. Materialism is when material things control a person, instead of a person controlling material things. There’s nothing wrong with owning a lot of stuff, as long as they don’t own you. For example, if you decide to enjoy your fishing boat instead of attending church, you have changed your priorities, placing a fishing trip ahead of God.

Second, I don’t know about you, but I’ve been reading about all the jobs lost to the declining economy. The simple fact is this: no spending, no jobs. No buying, no jobs. If people didn’t purchase gifts for Christmas, can you imagine how much worse the economy would be?

Now I don’t believe in Santa Claus. I taught my kids the truth about Santa from the very beginning. We have kept Christ in Christmas. That doesn’t mean we don’t exchange gifts at Christmas. We do, but it revolves around the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. We keep stuff in the right priority during the Christmas season (the holidays?).

The point: Don’t feel guilty about buying gifts for Christmas. Don’t feel guilty about buying products or services all year long. You are helping to provide jobs. God wants us to prosper, but He wants us to keep Him top priority in our lives. (You really can’t prosper without Him.)

Have a Merry Christmas!

P.S. Don’t be a Scrooge. Don’t shop on Christmas. You will be encouraging stores to keep their employees away from their families during Christmas.