CARRIE SHEFFIELD: What Jesus Can Teach Us Heading Into 2023
December 26, 2022 | District of Columbia
The classic hymn “O Holy Night” gives a glimpse into the importance of Christmas within human history. Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus, a man whose ministry and death altered the course of humanity, beginning in the realms of Judeo and Western civilizations and branching to every nation.
If you’re Christian or not, it’s undeniable that Jesus’ message resonates with billions of people over many centuries. His birth was an earthquake in the structure of human calendars — He reordered time. (RELATED: STAR PARKER: How Do We Get Our Nation Back On Track?)
Jesus’ words speak of redemption and rebirth. Jesus was a revolutionary, unafraid to rebuke authorities who valued the letter of the law ahead of its spirit. Jesus was a healer who cared for the sick, the poor, the orphaned, the forlorn and forgotten. Jesus was compassionate and warned of the hypocrisy of judging others.
O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining
It is the night of our dear Savior’s birth
Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appear’d and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary soul rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
The Western notions of human rights, self-governance, and slavery abolition spring from the words and actions of Jesus. While earthly rulers sought conquest, power and ruthlessness, Jesus modeled sacrifice, humility and forgiveness. He valued communion with His father over the mindless bustle of worldly gain, showing us the inherent dignity and worth of every soul, regardless of their station in human-engineered pecking orders.
We humans pride ourselves on our ability to reason. Reasonable means rational. But it’s not reasonable to love your enemies, bless those that curse you, do good to those that hate you and pray for those who persecute you. But that’s what Jesus taught, a similar message from leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr., Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela. It’s a message that will heal our fractured country and world…. (Excerpt from The Daily Caller)
