Every Halloween and Christmas my day-job holds a cubical decorating contest to liven up the place and have a little fun. They even give away prizes to help stimulate interest among the cubical workers.

And every year at Halloween the place is decorated to the max – blood, gore, witches, posters, props, you name and it is there.  Folks even hang things from the ceiling in an effort to outdo their coworkers.

Christmas time however is a different story…instead of twelve or fifteen decorated cubical this past October, my office currently has four decorated cubical.

Four.

Only four people out of 130~ people decided to put of lights, wreaths, snowmen, santas and/or something…even the promise of a $25 gift card prize did nothing to motivate people….

Why?

What makes people go all out to celebrate darkness but not lift a finger to remember the lighthearted family oriented winter holiday?

I mean, it is not like Christmas in the USA is particularly religious anyone. It is basically a fun filled, family focused holiday designed to bring a little cheer and happiness to the bleak winter days.

The longer I ponder this disconnect the more I wonder if people really want peace, happiness, peace, family and/or love.

While folks will say that they do, their actions seems to place more emphasis on greed, sadness, busyness, pain and bitterness.

It is like an abused person who will not leave their abuser as the devil they knows is better/less frightening than the devil they doesn’t know.

Interesting enough it is the very reason that God sent His Son Jesus into the world. It was an invasion of this Present Evil Age by the Creator Himself – no longer were we to be held captive by darkness/guilt/injustice, bound without any hope of deliverance.  We now have a friend who understands how we feel, act, life and die.

We can leave our abuser as we have someone to hold our hand and walk with us into a new life.

This is what God the LORD says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
“I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles,
to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.”
-Isaiah 42:5-7