I was having a talk with someone yesterday about Christmas and buying presents and all the stuff that goes into this time of year.  Think about how much work, how much effort, how much everything goes into this time.

And think about how much of it we remember a few months from now.  I was talking about someone about buying a present for a 3 year old, and we all agreed that the best present that you could buy for them would be a cardboard box.  An empty, cardboard box.

And we could laugh at them playing in that empty box. And just enjoying it.

The greatest challenge of this Christmas season is to remember what really matters.  Listen to what Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:17-18:

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

So many things that we put so much stock into are just passing.  They are not eternal.  They are not lasting. They will pass.  So many of the things that we put so much effort into will not be here in a year.

They many not ever be remembered in a week.

So, what matters?  What counts?  What should we count on?  The way I often put it is the “F’s.”  Faith.  Family. Friends.

These things last. These things count. These thing are not passing. These things are the things that we remember and that we cling to in all of life.  These things are where life is truly, truly found.

Faith. Family. Friends.

In this Christmas season, may we remember what is truly most important.  And what lasts.

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