No Glitz, Just Glory

<p>Looking at the handmade Christmas ornaments my son, Xavier, crafted over the years and the annual mismatched baubles Grandma had sent him, I couldn&rsquo;t figure out why I was not content with our decorations. I&rsquo;d always valued the creativity and memories each ornament represented. So, why did the allure of the retail stores&rsquo; holiday displays tempt me to desire a tree adorned with perfectly-matched bulbs, shimmering orbs, and satin ribbons?</p> <p>As I began to turn away from our humble decor, I glimpsed a red heart-shaped ornament with a simple phrase scripted on it&minus;Jesus, My Savior. How could I have forgotten my family and my hope in Christ are the reasons I love celebrating Christmas? Our simple tree looked nothing like the trees in the storefronts, but the love behind every decoration made it beautiful.</p> <p>Like our modest tree, the Messiah didn&rsquo;t meet the world&rsquo;s expectations in any way (Isaiah 53:2). Jesus &ldquo;was despised and rejected&rdquo; (v. 3). Yet, in an amazing display of love, He still chose to be &ldquo;pierced for our transgressions&rdquo; (vv. 4&ndash;5). He endured punishment, so we could enjoy peace (v. 5). Nothing is more beautiful than that.</p> <p>With renewed gratitude for our perfect decorations and our perfect Savior, I stopped longing for glitz and praised God for His glorious love. Sparkling adornments could never match the beauty of His sacrificial gift&minus;Jesus.</p>