King Herod hates Christmas
Not everyone likes Christmas. Some people hate the crowds, the singing, the blinking lights, chestnuts roasting on an open fire…
One guy who hated Christmas was King Herod. He was told by many religious scholars and a team of research assistants in the royal astrology department— that a child would be born— who would spread joy and happiness.
Reading the scriptures, the astrologers said that people would stop going to work, stop fighting wars, stop arguing with their loved ones, stop holding grudges, and all sit down and eat together. Then, they would be so full from eating too much, they would spend the whole next day sleeping. Then, they would forget why they were fighting and go ice skating.
King Herod was appalled. “What do you mean?”
They replied, “According to ancient prophesies, it is a season of family and friends. A season of joy.”
King Herod asked his advisors, “When is the season of war? You know, when everyone celebrates death, killing our enemies and me— the king?”
His advisors said, “It is the season of peace. A season of life. A season for the all people to celebrate that the kingdom of God is within themselves. They will declare themselves their own kings and they will create peace on earth by creating peace in their homes.”
King Herod freaked out. He was like, this can’t happen. Because what if… Everyone in the world ate too much? We would have no reason to go to war. We would have no reason to start a war or fight a war or win a war. Without a war, I cannot be king.
God was thinking the exact same thing… “What if… everyone in the world ate too much? They would have no reason to go fight wars— because it’s too much cardio. After you eat a whole pumpkin pie, you don’t want to go run miles in your brand new Ugg boots to conquer another nation.”
Fear is… “What if….?” Faith is exactly the same. “What if….?”
Write this in your journal:
Fear is …. “What if…. (All these bad things happen)?”
Faith is… “What if….(all these good things happen)?”
