Christmas without Christ
is like
vacations without work
or
sex without marriage
or
entertainment without edification
or
dessert without nourishment
or
diplomas without learning
or
citizenship without patriotism
or…
Well, you get the idea. There’s nothing wrong with the first part of each pair, but when taken without the second part, we only get a shallower version of it. These pairs naturally come together, and when they do, the experience is far deeper and richer than when we try to just have the easy, fun stuff.
The tendency to claim the first part without the second is, ultimately, ignoring of the full value of the first part, rejecting the second part entirely, and a sad commentary on the short-sighted immaturity of the world.
