The Joy of Childlike Faith

What brings you the greatest joy at Christmas time? Is it the beautiful twinkling lights, the precious time with family, or the much anticipated celebration of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ? Each of these is a beautiful gift that can bring great joy!

Looking back at Christmases of the past, joy has always been a part of my Christmas season. As a child I memorized my “piece” to share at church on Sunday morning. I loved seeing pure joy and encouragement on the faces of our church family as they experienced Christmas through the eyes of a child. Psalm 116:6 tells us that “the Lord protects those of childlike faith,” which is based on kindness, compassion and understanding.

As I grew up, I valued the time our family was able to spend together decorating our home and doing things for my grandparents. We spent Thanksgiving with my mom’s family and then spent Christmas with my dad’s family. We were truly blessed to learn about our family’s traditions and recipes to pass down from generation to generation. My beloved Aunt Jean’s pecan pie was a special treat at Thanksgiving, and my grandma’s potato salad was delicious with my mom’s ham at Christmas. Even though we were jam-packed in my grandparents’ home at the holidays, the closeness of our family resonated with us all (even when we had to still sit at the “Kids’ Table”).

Our children have grown up loving the joy and fun of Christmas. They still can’t wait to get the decorations out at our home (and now at their own homes). Reliving the memories of Christmas past with the story of each ornament as we hang it on the tree is a special tradition we still share. They can certainly tell the stories of each beautiful ornament—where it came from and what it represents. We hope they will pass those stories and traditions to the next generation someday as we have shared with them.

So as we start to prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus during Advent this year, my prayer is that we look at and experience everything with childlike faith and can find true joy this year. This joy can give us all hope. Sharing the love of Christ with all those we meet will truly make our world a better place!

Reflect and Respond

• Which of your holiday traditions were passed down to you from previous generations? Why are they still part of your celebration?
• Which of your traditions do you hope carry on in generations to come, and why?
• Try to go through your routines and activities today with "the eyes of a child." What would the child version of you think/feel about your chores, your to-do list, your choices?