Christmas Doesn't Come from a Store

Whatever our faith or beliefs about Christmas, many of us are entering a season of gift-giving (whether the Shi’a Muslim holy day of Ashura, Christmas, Hanukkah, or the Buddhist celebration of Bodhi Day). Within the Christian tradition, the idea of giving gifts comes from a story in the New Testament. The story details how wise men visited the infant Jesus and offered gifts. It’s always beautiful to me how the Christmas season inspires people to offer gifts of kindness. Generosity is heard as bell-ringers remind us of the needy and coins drop into shiny red buckets. Smiles are more abundant in grocery store check-out lines. But during the Christmas season, it is no less fascinating to witness the onslaught of consumerism. Why does a holy day — such as Christmas — inspire so many millions to spend more money on presents than on gifts to charity? I mean, it’s not like Jesus is a poster child for materialism. As I recall, he does say, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”Oh, I know, I shouldn’t be such a stick in the mud. It’s just people having fun. It’s just presents.

Of course, I understand that we shop till we drop to demonstrate our love for other people. I know that we have taken the idea of gift giving from “the wise men of the east.” But, as Dr. Seuss reminds us, “Even the Grinch knew that Christmas doesn’t come from a store.” Honestly, it’s the spending thing that has me concerned. For example, in 2011, the average American spent almost $1,000 on Christmas gifts. There are a number of issues associated with such spending — not the least of which is that many Americans spend themselves into debt (the average credit card debt per household in the U.S. is over $15,000) buying presents.If you haven’t braved the malls quite yet or spent hours online, consider this: Long after your teenager tires of her $500 designer purse, long after the new iPad is replaced by a faster model, the credit card companies will continue to reap the benefits of your excess (but don’t get me started on usury).

OK, I’ve sounded my Christmas horn. I will stop preaching. But just one more thing. Do yourself a favor: Keep Christmas simple. After all, the wise men who brought gifts to baby Jesus didn’t buy the stuff on credit. And they didn’t spend the next year paying off the bill, which is probably why we call them wise.

Jesus and The New York Stock Exchange

The ground of a certain rich man brought forth abundantly. He reasoned within himself, saying, 'What will I do, because I don't have room to store my crops?'

He said, 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns, and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. I will tell my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years. Take your ease, eat, drink, be merry."'

"But God said to him, 'You foolish one, tonight your soul is required of you. The things which you have prepared—whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." (New Testament, Luke 12)

Jesus' words scare me. This parable scares me. I feel scared because I can't help but wonder if I am, if you are—if we are like the rich fool in the story. I wonder if I am the fool and you are the fool and we don't even realize it because almost everyone else in our North American culture is also the fool. I say this with all due respect.

As a little boy I watched my dad work hard, take over his father's company, make a very nice living, buy us bigger and bigger homes, nicer and nicer cars...on and on. And though I know my father is a generous person, in light of this parable, though, I wonder about the real value of accumulating wealth, if it is not to be shared.

In our parable, this morning, Jesus is not attacking wealth, per say, but the foolish idea of amassing money to use for the sole purpose or personal enjoyment. Notice in the parable how the rich fool focuses on himself in the course of his reflection: “I will do this and I will do that and I will secure myself a more enjoyable future with all that I have made.” Jesus suggests that accumulating wealth, socking it away, buying more and more stuff is, to some degree, harmful for a life with God.

This is a tough thing for us to hear exactly because Jesus' words fly in the face of our economic philosophy. Jesus' words cut at the quick of the American dream. The rich fool is the very embodiment of what many of us embrace as the right way to live.

Jesus isn't alone in his critique of amassing wealth for the purposes of selfish enjoyment or securing our future—as if money can secure our lives. Every major world religion suggests the very same thing as Jesus.

Taoism, which is primarily a Chinese religion states: Do not race after riches, do not risk your life for financial gains, or you will let slip the heaven within you.” And Sikhism, which is an Indian religion, says, “Blessed is the straw hut where God's praises are chanted; worthless the white mansions where God is not remembered.”

My dad, of course, was just following what his dad taught him who was just following what his dad had taught him. It's the Protestant work ethic nicely mixed with Adam Smith's little idea called capitalism. It's how we understand the world. It's how we understand ourselves. Make more, acquire more, and you will be more.

Have you ever imagined Jesus standing in the mall or on the floor of the NYSE? Have you ever wondered what Jesus might say to someone with the bumper sticker, “He who dies with the most toys wins?”