The Hidden Story

 This time of year people celebrate Christmas the way they see fit and Hollywood turns out show after show about the “real meaning” of Christmas. Of course, they always get it wrong. They say it’s about family, love, forgiveness, giving or coming together. Don’t get me wrong, those are all good things, but they miss the mark by a mile.

I find it interesting how people pick and choose the things that they like, the things that fit their narrative and ignore that there is a lot more to the story than what they’ve chosen to highlight.

For example, in recovery circles, the Serenity Prayer is often quoted as gospel in the quest for living in a way that doesn’t lead to relapse.

This is the version that people quote:  

God, grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change...
Courage to change the things I can,
And Wisdom to know the difference.

While that is powerful, here is the full original version as written by Reinhold Niebuhr:

God, give us grace to accept with serenity
the things that cannot be changed,
Courage to change the things
which should be changed,
and the Wisdom to distinguish
the one from the other.

Living one day at a time,
Enjoying one moment at a time,
Accepting hardship as a pathway to peace,
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it,
Trusting that You will make all things right,
If I surrender to Your will,
So that I may be reasonably happy in this life,
And supremely happy with You forever in the next.

Amen.        

The second part is omitted, in part because the shorter version is easier to remember and Quote, but also because it mentions Jesus by name and that goes against the AA way of talking about a nebulous Higher Power. But you have to admit the full original version is much more powerful. If people memorized the full version maybe it would lead not only to recovery but a life filled with hope, joy and happiness.

With now being Christmas there is a popular song that makes all the secular airways. This is the way you will hear it sung most of the time:

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branches
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branches

Your boughs so green in summertime
Stay bravely green in wintertime
O tannenbaum, o Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branches

On Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen
Ha ha ha ha

The full version, while less commercial, includes:

Let us all remember
In our gift giving and our merriment
With our family and friends and loved ones
The real and true meaning of Christmas
The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

The pillars all please faithfully
Our trust in God unchangedly
O tannenbaum, o tannenbaum
How love, lovely are thy branches

And there it is, The real and true meaning of Christmas
The birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ

So enjoy you Santas, Elves, snowmen, your romantic Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies, but don’t forget: Jesus is the reason for the season

Comments

  1. Ron ColeDecember 7, 2020 at 6:36 AM

    Well said...let us be emboldened and continue to glorify Him as He should be not only on Christmas but throughout the year.

    ReplyDelete

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