Pastor Mike Nodland of the Christian Fellowship Church in Vining, IA.

I love the story of the man hurriedly driving home one Christmas season after finishing his shopping. A new law was in effect that if you ran a red light or broke the law in any way, a camera would flash, taking your picture and you’d receive a ticket in the mail.

Crunching down on the brakes, he proceeded extra slowly through the first intersection so as not to break the law. FLASH went the camera!

“That’s not right!” he thought! So, he turned around and again proceeded through the intersection even more slowly…FLASH went the camera, again! He thought, “This thing’s messed up. They can’t ticket me!”

Out of spite, he drove back through the same intersection 3 more times…waving at the camera and smiling as he went. FLASH, FLASH, FLASH! A week later, he received 5 tickets in the mail…for not wearing a seat belt!

Each time, he missed the real reason for the flashing camera. The same may happen to you and me, if we don’t pay attention to the real reason for Christmas. Jesus, God’s greatest Christmas gift, was given to us. This Christmas, put Santa on pause and Jesus in his place, and have a Merry Christmas!