My kids and I have stumbled onto some sort of crazy tradition. We didn’t plan on it and we didn’t prepare for it, and it all started one morning when all of us piled into the Taurus to head to school.
I made sure my iPhone was connected to the bluetooth adapter and then I handed my daughter the phone and said, “Here. You’re the DJ.”
It being in the later months of the year, she played Christmas music because, well, we LOVE Christmas music. We sang. They danced. Since I was driving, I made sure that I only danced on the straightaways so that I could drive with my knees. At key moments of the songs – and ESPECIALLY when other drivers were near us – I’d sing into my thumb like it was a microphone.
I know what you’re thinking.
That’s more insanity than tradition, and I’d tend to agree with you except for the fact that EVERY TIME we play the DJ game, at some point Christmas music is played. Even this morning on a day when the forecasted high is 90° F.
I’d say we’ve done a pretty good job raising our kids.
This morning it was just me and Sydney in the car, and by the time we’d gotten to a friend’s house to pick up her daughter for a ride to school, Sydney and I were pretty far gone into the sounds of a colder season, and when our passenger got in, I suddenly realized how funny it all must seem to everyone else. How strange it must be to listen to Christmas music in the hot months and yet, how perfect it all was as a metaphor of what I’m doing living for a King who rules a kingdom that isn’t always seen as perfectly in this life as we’d wish.
You may be surprised by this, but you have to try really hard to find people who don’t like Christmas music. Most people don’t want to listen to it 24/7/365, but I’ve watched, and even when it’s 90 degrees and the end of May, people may look at us funny, but if they’re around us long enough, I’ve seen their lips start to form the words and their feet start to move.
The reason is simple: Christmas music reminds us of a better time. Of family. Home. Good food and good friends. Peace. Joy. Even for people like me who have had life throw a vicious curve ball right in the middle of that season. Sure, Christmas has become bittersweet for me now, but it’s still bitterSWEET.
But in May? July? The dog days of summer? Christmas can seem so far away, can’t it? It can seem like a place we all remember but can’t quite find our way back to, and unless you’re one of those fake smile “all tooth and no truth” church people, you recognize that this is starting to sound a lot like how we walk with Jesus.
As far as Kings go, Jesus is supreme. The one hitch in the whole deal is that He rules a kingdom that – like He said when He was teaching His guys how to pray – is coming on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10). That means, quite honestly, that we get glimpses of a fantastic kingdom at times, and at other times we can’t quite seem to get back to it.
I love how the Professor explained it in C.S. Lewis’ classic Narnia series when he was asked by Peter if they’d ever get to go back to Narnia: “Yes, of course you’ll get back to Narnia again someday. Once a King in Narnia, always a King in Narnia. But don’t go trying to use the same route twice. Indeed, don’t try to get there at all. It’ll happen when you’re not looking for it.”
And so we live in a fallen world, following the King of a better kingdom.
We live and breathe next to others who know nothing of the hope and peace and might and power and victory of our King.
But they want to.
Let me say that one more time.
The people who we’re convinced don’t want anything to do with Jesus and His kingdom are just like the people who silently mouth “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” when it’s cranked in my car with the air conditioner on full blast in August.
They think I’m crazy, but they like it.
They would never dream of cranking it themselves, but they’re glad I did. And they’re even happier that they’re along for the ride.
Christmas – and Christianity – are meant to be contagious. More caught than taught. More overcoming than overwhelming. More foot tapping than Bible thumping.
So turn up the music of heaven and let the people around you hear the sounds of hope and peace and freedom and love blasting through your life.
Sure, you’ll get a few strange looks from the people who think that “Jesus stuff” only belongs in churches for an hour a week, but if you take the time to really see them, you may be surprised to find their toes moving up and down.
After all, everyone loves Christmas and everyone wants a kingdom of peace.
Most just need someone to have the courage to push play and point the way back.
