“Silver bells, Silver bells, it’s Christmas-time in the city…” The strains of this familiar Christmas tune played softly over the speakers of the mall as I shopped, but it wasn’t America that I was finding Christmas-time in the city. In this predominately Buddhist country Christmas is a big celebration, especially in the Bangkok.
Like the United States, much of the Christmas season is wrapped up in the commercial aspects of the holiday. At Central World Mall, Southeast Asia’s largest Christmas tree was on display. Every single shopping complex had Christmas decorations and signs featuring snowmen, Santa Claus, reindeer, sleighs, and Christmas trees.
As I prepared my annual Christmas sermon, I wanted to capture the big banner of a Norman Rockwell painting of Santa Claus. I had seen it every time passing through the central shopping district, and it just highlighted the loss of Christ in Christmas.
It was not until I actually was crossing the pedestrian overpass that the irony of our Christmas celebrations really began to sink into my mind. Located at Central World are two large shrines where many people come to worship. These shrines, dedicated to prosperity, are situated right in front of the big Santa Claus banner.
As I snapped photos of Santa and the shrine the thought was impressed upon my mind of who am I worshipping each year at Christmas time? Is it Jesus, my Lord and Saviour, or has the world replaced Christ as my center of worship? Although the Christmas season is past, we have a whole year before us to stop and consider who did you worship?
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