“They pretend to worship me, but their worship is nothing more than the empty traditions of men.” (Matthew 15:9 TPT)
I’m already seeing Christmas stuff in some stores. This reminds me of how warped our society can be about holiday traditions. There are some Christians who insist that there is a ‘war on Christmas’ because some businesses have chosen inclusive phrases that acknowledge that there are other holidays in December. I am not sure how a picture of Santa Claus with the words ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ is any more acceptable than the phrase ‘Happy Holidays’ imprinted on a card or a cup.
Holiday traditions such as decorations, cards, gifts, and food may bring joy and feelings of camaraderie, but they bring us no closer to God. Pretending to worship the Lord while worshiping empty human traditions is hypocrisy. Neither religiosity nor ritual behavior equals holiness. As Christians, we need to focus more on putting Christ first in every day. If intimacy with Christ is our goal, then we must pursue a life aligned with His purpose, suffused with trust, and devoted to truth.
