Thinking of the meaning of Christmas and looking at our Christmas tree.
We have an artificial tree, and as you start to put it together there is one main pole with many holes, into which the branches are fitted. When I look at that I re member that Jesus said, “I am the vine, and ye are the branches.” When all the branches are placed on the tree, it reminds us that even when we are all one in the body of believers, without the light of Christ within us there is no life.
As we place the strings of lights upon the tree, the tree becomes transformed, alive. As do each of us as the light of Christ becomes real in our life. Then we add the ornaments, and each of these reminds us of gifts of love that have been given to each of us. One might be an ornament that was given to us by our parents, another one that was put on the tree for the first time when one of the children were born. We realize that each person in our life has been given to us as a gift of love, by God.
Next we put on the golden garlands that wrap around the tree, this reminds us that the body of Christ, his church is surrounded by his arms of love.
Then we add the tinsel, and this is special because it's very much like each of us. If you hold one piece of tinsel in your hand. you'll see it isn't worth anything, but place that beside the light on the tree and that little tinsel reflects the light all around the room. We the believers must be just like that tinsel - nothing in ourselves, but a reflector for the light of Christ within us to all others in the world.
Then we stand back and look at the tree aglow with light and love and we add the star. As we do we remember that the first star led the Magi to Christ, and we know that the light of the spirit within us will do the same. It also says that Jesus, like a star, “Is, was and ever shall be.”
Now with the tree done we see how bad the tree stand looks, so we cover it with a many-colored tree skirt, and it reminds us that when the father looks at us, he doesn't see our sinfulness, but the covering of Jesus' precious blood of righteousness.