This is part one of a series on how Christmas trimmings reflect the truth about Jesus to us. My hope is that each time you see one of them this season, you’ll be reminded of Who He is and Who He wants to be to you.
And today we begin with… Mistletoe!
Underneath The Mistletoe
There is something wonderful about a kiss. I mean a real, genuine, non-hyper-sexualized kiss… I mean an authentic, sweet, tender kiss. It’s a wonderful gift to both the kiss-er and the kiss-ee.
At Christmas time, when we see mistletoe, we almost always think of a kiss. Hallmark Christmas movies wouldn’t be complete without a scene toward the end in which the couple who has fallen in love meet accidentally under the mistletoe and have their first kiss.
Rare
I don’t see mistletoe everywhere I go. It seems like a rare trimming. (Maybe we just have a lot more Spanish moss in Louisiana.) But I don’t even see a lot of fake mistletoe. You’d think junior nigh boys would buy it by the truckloads on Amazon & hang it all over the city… you know, just in case. But sadly, it’s a rare sight. Too bad.
A Gentle, Tender Reminder
Too bad because when I think of mistletoe and a genuine kiss, I think of how Scripture tells us in both the Old and New Testaments that the virgin would conceive a son who would be, “Immanuel, which means, ‘God is with us.'”
“God with us,” think of it! He chose to not be a distant God, disconnected from the realities of our lives. Instead, like the song says, “Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss.” Mistltoe.
Bad Breath
God came near… came close… close enough to hear our heart beat… close enough to feel our breath on His face. And it didn’t matter to Him that our hearts weren’t right or that our breath stunk. He just wanted to be with us.
So He came. He stood under the mistletoe at just the right time and came near us. He kissed us with His presence for 33 years, and we have never forgotten that kiss. 2,000+ years later and we still remember the night God slipped into human flesh and came to be with us.
Look For It
Mistletoe. It’s the Christmas trimming that reminds me most of God’s desire for a pure, intimate, close, gentle, tender relationship with me… and with you.
So the next time you see some mistletoe, take a moment to pause and soak in His Immanuel presence. He’ll meet you right there. And Christmas will be more special than ever.
Now, where’s that mistletoe?
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