Christmas does something quite crazy to television, and other media oriented presentations. Suddenly "Peace on Earth, and good will to all Men" doesn't sound so outdated; the amount of 'Christmas Specials' that appear to jump on the moral extremes. Mainly of the overly reconciling kind. Secretly, as people sit down on a cold Christmassy evening, they want to sit in front of the glowing box of magic, and have tingles of joy sent down their spine by a feel-good episode of 'The Royle Family' or Wallace and Gromit, or House M.D.
It was during the various episodes of Seasonal Jollity I realised the odd combination of enjoyment people get from watching other peoples lives. The usual depressing nature of Eastenders, however, managed to cut through the evening's schedule of Christmas day, like an icicle stabbed into the heart of a young child. Though perhaps a bit graphic, we mustn't forget that in the time of the first Christmas there was a massacre of all children under 3 years of age, in an attempt to keep the King of the time without worry. Of course if there is any threat at all to your place of power, the best thing to do is to get rid of the competition. And what better time to dispose of it than when they are powerless?
The general rule does apply, however, that if you're going to take time out from your family, or simply make yourself feel like you belong to someone else's for a while, the best method is to watch another repeat of the Christmas Spirit with different characters, and a slightly modified dilemma. What happens to TV the rest of the year?
Well, my moral compass has become stronger and stronger as I've walked into situation after situation of evil. I've heard of more marriage break-ups closer in relation to me that I'd like, and people dying left, right, and centre, doesn't add to my coping mechanism. It's a horrible state of play we are in, where children are deprived of their fathers, parents have lost their children, escape isn't somewhere else, but something else, like drugs or alcohol, or someone else, like the next door neighbour. Increasing are the professing homosexuals, who choose that as their religion. Gone are the professing Christians, who would rather sit in closed buildings complaining about the rest of the world, than attempt to heal it like they are chosen to do. And I and my small community are stuck in the middle, being blamed for the state of London because we don't recycle.
I am the first to put my hand up and say I am a hypocrite of massive proportions. Living under grace raises the stakes. My only joy is that Jesus makes it possible to bear the evil in this world, because He has already done it. He bore mine as much as everyone else's and my only hope is that the more people who turn to Him to bear their evil first before pointing their finger into the cold night, watching the fog fall to reduce your vision, unable to see over the road at the abusive fathers who lead their young daughters to prostitution and worse, would run out and rescue these people in a vulnerable state, knowing Jesus was that child who was rescued by His parents in his young state. Ultimately God, in Jesus, came to earth to be weak and powerless, that we may be strong enough to see this world transformed.
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