Christmas gives us something to talk about …

One of the richest experiences of being human we give little (if any) consideration to is the gift of conversation.

It is our conversations that bond us together, or breaks our bonds.

Conversation is our means of sharing our being and our lives with others. Can you imagine, then, some of the rich conversations that were shared at that first Christmas?

The conversation in heaven as Jesus prepared to be born into the world as a human being …

The conversation between Joseph and Mary after both had received messages from an angel regarding their unique — and privileged! — circumstances of being chosen to be the parents of the Messiah …

The conversation between Mary and Elizabeth after Mary had been told she would be the mother of the Messiah, and now that Elizabeth was pregnant in her old age …

The conversation among the shepherds who had seen the mighty armies of heaven burst forth to make a great announcement, and their conversations after searching out the baby born in Bethlehem …

… there were a lot of conversations that first Christmas, because there was a lot to talk about!

We may not realize how much we enjoy talking to others until there’s no opportunity to do so. I know of a homeless man who greatly misses having someone to converse with. He doesn’t look like the stereotyped homeless man; he’s reasonably well groomed and presents himself as if he could be your next-door-neighbor. Each morning he has breakfast at a fast food restaurant where he sits at the same table … and talks to himself.

My first time seeing this man, I thought he must be having a conversation with someone by telephone using a wireless earpiece since he wasn’t speaking into a cell phone. But there wasn’t a phone, and there wasn’t another person. He needed someone in his life to talk to … but there wasn’t anyone.

So he talked anyway.

He would hold forth in conversation for an extended period of time as if he were talking to an old friend over the telephone. He needed someone to talk to, so he talked!

Jonathan Alexander wrote about a conversation he had with a friend that, at first, he didn’t appreciate …

I remember having lunch with John for the first time. John was on our elder leadership team, and I had just arrived as the new Pastor of Community Life. So John and I are at lunch having some light conversation, and he says this to me: “You won’t be really effective until you’re in your 40s.” Mind you, I had just turned 30. And when I left my 20s behind I remember thinking, “Finally, I’m 30 years old … now people will take me seriously.” And here I have John telling me I have 10 more years before I can even be effective.

I’ll confess, I wasn’t too pleased in the moment. But instead of getting up and walking out (and stiffing him with the bill), I listened to what he had to say. He began to explain, “When you’re in your 20s, you’re trying to figure out who you are, what your gifts are, and what you’re good at. Then when you hit your 30s, you know 4-5 things that you’re good at and you hone in on them. And then finally, when you hit your 40s you know the 1 or 2 things that you are great at and you maximize those through your 40s and 50s. Then in your mid to late 50s, in your 60s and beyond, you’re figuring out how to pass those things on to the next generation.”

We can gain wisdom and insight from our conversations, or we can laugh and stir up joy with our conversations; we can find encouragement, be challenged, or be inspired with our conversations. Our conversations can impact our lives in so many ways!

But none more than what was being talked about that first Christmas.

Yes, there were a lot of conversations happening that first Christmas, and at the center of them all was Jesus!

During that first Christmas, people AND angels were talking about Jesus Christ!

We hear a lot of sloganizing regarding “keeping Christ in Christmas,” but at Christmas time, is Christ even in your conversations? If “Jesus is the reason for the season,” are you talking about Jesus with others?

All of heaven have not lost their enthusiasm for talking about Jesus, but have we? If we will not talk about the Savior of the world at Christmas time, when will we?

If you really want to keep Christ in Christmas, if He is the reason you celebrate this season, then perhaps you should seek opportunities to have conversations with others about Jesus.

What are you talking about this Christmas?

Scotty