There isn't anything wrong with this picture, is there?
A Bible opened up to Luke 2, the story of Jesus' birth.
Nativity pieces.
Advent wreath and candles.
But wait, the candles are the wrong color, aren't they?
In the past, this really would have bothered me, the wrong color candles. There is 'suppose to be' 3 purple candles, one pink candle, and one white candle in the center.
My first-born, type-A tendencies would put me on a quest each year before Christmas trying to find the 'right' color candles. But you know what I have begun to realize over the last few years? Jesus doesn't really care what color the candles are. He wants us to take the time during this season of advent to reflect on the miracle of His birth. He is the Savior of our world. That should be the focus of my worship to Him, not the color of my candles.
If I may, I think the real question is: who says the candles should be purple? I mean, if Jesus said in the Gospel "and thou shalt make mine candles purple," then maybe it's important. But if it was some random preacher a couple hundred years ago, then that's his opinion.
ReplyDeleteJews wrestle with this all the time, because modern Judaism is based on the Talmud, which was written by regular men. Yes, they're wise, and yes, their arguments are persuasive, but it's not the gospel (so to speak). So when you're trying to decide whether to follow a specific rule, consider what the source of that rule is. That will help you decide how important it really is.
Very well said..... thanks for sharing....
ReplyDelete