Putting Self on a Shelf

When the 'Elf on a Shelf" became popular, my boys were too old to appreciate the fun having an elf appear in the home in a variety of places and poses! I still have "Elfie", but he stays in one place the entire Christmas season!

A recent devotion I read talked about putting "Self on a Shelf". There isn't anything wrong with having traditions and doing fun things, even things that necessarily don't have a spiritual aspect, but I don't want to spend so much time on trivial things at Christmas that I miss really showing the love of Jesus through my life.

Selfless living should be the focus of what Christmas is about for us as Christians. Not living for ourselves but for the Christ who came to be born, live, and die for us. Self shouldn't have any part in us as Christians. If we are really going to celebrate Jesus and why He came we are going to have to follow His example. He ministered. He served. He was humble. He put Self on a Shelf.

We all have self and natural selfish tendencies. We are all born with sin and with our selfish ways but when we become a Christian, we have to do something with it. We have to put it on a shelf. We have to let it go. We have to not let it continue to dominate our choices and actions.

What if we as Christians, purposed to put our Self on a Shelf even just for Christmas? Maybe we could have 12 days of Christmas without self. Can you imagine the change in the world? Can you imagine the impact for Christ that would have? What a beautiful world it would be!

When we begin to put self away, then Christmas will become more real to us. The wonder, the joy, peace and love that flows from our Savior to all those around us. We behold the Lord Jesus and as we adore Him, His love molds us to be more like Him. That is the true meaning of Christmas - Behold our King!

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