It would always disturb my mother when I would say, “I don’t really have many – if any – memories of my childhood.”  Though I grew up in a healthy, Christian environment and was, as far as I remember, a happy child, my memories of my pre-high school years are extremely limited.  I like to say that I was too focused upon enjoying the present to spend time hanging on to the past.
 
One memory I have, though, is playing a game on the sofa with my mother.  We would snuggle together when it was dark and cold outside.  With the inside lights turned off and only our heads exposed she would pose the question, “What if … this were all we had?”  The couch might be a boat floating in the sea, a shelter in a snowstorm, or simply a sofa by the street.  And every time, rather than it being a story of “woe is me,” our focus would be upon contentment, gratitude, and already having everything we needed.
 
This year, during this week leading up to Christmas, I invite you to play a variation of the “What if … ?” game with me.  I will ask a series of questions.  Each one begins with “What if …” and then asks the critical question for you (and me).  And here is that critical question:  “Would it still be Christmas for you?”
 
If there were no outdoor displays of Christmas decorations and lights, would it still be Christmas for you?  If city streets, neighborhoods, and your own front lawn all lacked any festive lights, trees, or decorations – and there were no bellringers outside Walmart or Christmas music playing in the stores … if there were no tree-lightings or Christmas carolers … would it still be Christmas for you?
 
What if there were no presents under your tree, or under the trees of any of the homes you visit at Christmas time?  What if you neither gave nor received any gifts … and your children went the entire holiday season without receiving one single present?  What if you never went shopping – not even online – for anything remotely “Christmasy” the whole year through … would it still be Christmas for you?
 
What if for the entire month of December you did not attend a single Christmas gathering?  What if there were no special family times to celebrate the holiday – no special meals or conversations – not even through facetime?  What if there were no work parties, friend parties, or other sorts of get-togethers to celebrate the season … would it still be Christmas for you?
 
And what if there were no special worship services for you to attend, no opportunities to listen to a choir or sing your favorite hymns?  What if every church was closed for the month of December and no one from a church ever came to your home to worship with you?  What if there were no Children’s programs or other festive presentations of the Christmas story … would it still be Christmas for you?
 
What if the only telling of the Christmas story you heard was through Disney’s productions, Hallmark movies, and the films that are on TV and in theatres every year?  What if the only Christmas songs you ever heard spoke of hippopotamuses, the “holly jollies”, snow, or similar things?  And what if little or no time was taken in your home to reflect upon the goodness of our God in sending his Son, Jesus, to “become flesh and make his dwelling among us” (John 1.14) … would it still be Christmas for you?
 
What if one removed all of the wrappings and trappings of Christmas, along with the nostalgia, schmaltz,  and sentimentality that surrounds it, and left only the message of the angel to the shepherds – “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2.10-11) – would it still be Christmas for you?
 
Now, do not take me wrong.  I am not saying these other things are necessarily evil or bad.  I’m simply thinking about the story of the little child who had so much fun playing with the wrapping paper and the empty box that he never even noticed the priceless gift they had originally packaged.
 
Isaiah, centuries before the scene in Luke 2 predicated the angel’s message of “Fear not,” by telling us, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. … For to us a child is born, to us a son is given … and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9.2, 6)  In a world like ours today – so filled with excesses … like excess fear, excess spending, excess loneliness, excess “you name it” – we all need to see that great light … we need to hear the message of the angel … we need that “peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, to guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4.7)
 
What if this Christmas, centuries after the scene in Luke 2 took place, your story and mine became nothing more than contemporary replications of that of the original shepherds (Luke 2.15-20)?  I’m just wondering – would it still be Christmas for any of us?
 
Generally we mainly hear Mary’s (Luke 2) story, so I will close with Joseph’s telling of the same. (The angel said) “’Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1.20-23) … while I wonder what if our focus simply would be upon contentment, gratitude, loving our neighbor, and realizing that everything we need is found in the child of the manger?  
What if … ?
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