Len Ballenger

Today I heard what I’m sure was the sonic blast of this year whizzing past my head at a record-breaking rate as I ventured into the mall to have a battery installed in my watch. When I walked through the doors, I was greeted with the sights, sounds, and smells of the approaching Christmas season and was smacked upside the head with the realization that we were already approaching the final lap of 2011. With every step, Holiday spirit was being forced upon me like the clip-on tie and patent-leather shoes you were required to wear for family photos as a kid.  As much as I love Christmas, it just seemed way too early this year.

As I looked past the unending mallway kiosks filled with way-too-eager sales clerks fondling red Starbucks cups, and still struggling with denial, a decorative menagerie of ceramic angels caught my attention.  I am always amazed how we make angels look like pale-faced members of a Victorian choir with wings attached at the shoulders.  Thinking back to the “angel encounters” of scripture, I am pretty certain that the shepherds on that first Christmas weren’t thinking about what cute, ornamental decorations they could create to remember the occasion.  I imagine their memories more likely included washing out their soiled underpants the day after.  Regardless, I walked over to the pristine angelic display and took a closer look.

Before I am detested as a Christmas-hating scrooge, I am not suggesting that you should throw away your nativity sets and burn your Christmas decorations.  I simply want to point out that angels are not people with wings.  Angels are heavenly beings. And when an angel shows up on the scene, it is an awesome and often alarming event. An angelic encounter generally begins with the words “Fear not.”  Holiday angels look as if they should say “There, there.” This is not to say that Angels cannot bring comfort and minister to people, nor that Angels are not spectacular and beautiful, but there is always a divine purpose connected to an angelic appearance.  This divine and powerful purpose of angels is to “announce” – and to declare the glory of God.

So, when you see an angel represented this Christmas, look past the decoration. Look past and let the angels continue to announce what they announced more than 2000 years ago: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.”  Throughout all the minutia and business of our lives, the hope of man is still found in this resounding echo of the hosts of heaven, the message that our salvation is both God’s Glory and man’s peace. Angels declared it that first Christmas, and still declare it today. And because of that divine announcement, we can celebrate!