A grandfather invited his grandson to help him find a Christmas tree. He told the little boy that he could choose which tree they would bring home. They walked and walked stopping to examine many trees. However, none of them seemed to please the boy. Finally, with both the sun and the temperature dropping, the grandfather told his grandson, "We will have to take the next tree!" The bewildered boy asked, "Even if it doesn't have any lights on it either?"
No wonder the little boy was confused. Christmas is full of lights of all kinds, everywhere. There are even competitions to determine who has put up the most spectacular display.
Some feel that most of the decorations at this time of the year detract from the true meaning of Christmas and I understand that. However, I tend to enjoy the profusion of ornamentation, and especially the lights. They remind me of Christ, because one might accurately say that the predictions, birth and life of Christ are liberally and literally, "decorated" with lights.
Isaiah prophesied that Jesus' arrival would result in people walking in darkness to see, "...a great light; and those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has shined" (Isaiah 9:2).
Micah, a contemporary of Isaiah, predicting the coming Messiah, referred to Him as, "...the Sun of righteousness..." (Micah 4:2).
There was light on the hillside where the shepherds kept watch over their sheep. "An angel appeared among them, and the landscape shone bright with the glory of the Lord" (Luke 2:9).
It was a light in the sky, provided by God, that the magi saw and followed. In Matthew 2:2 they said, "We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." Later, in verses 9 & 10 we read that this star "...stopped over the place where the child was. They were thrilled and excited to see the star."
None of this should come as a surprise because John, speaking of Jesus said, "In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness..." (John, 1:4, 5).
Jesus added later, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life " (John, 8:12). He emphasized and built upon this later by saying, "I have come into the world as a light so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness" (John 12:46).
So...when you plug in your Christmas lights this year, don't forget the most important Light of all. "Jesus was the real light—the light that comes into the world and shines on all people" (John 1:9).