What is a real present?

This morning I watched the most disturbing Christmas video ever.  It was about Jimmy Kimmel and a challenge he gave to viewers to give their children the worst Christmas present ever.  Now, the premise of this challenge was to see the reaction of little children to bizarre and wrong gifts.  I was appalled at two points.

My first problem was with the parents who were willing to do this challenge.  Why would a parent offer an early Christmas present that they did not intend to give.  These were rotten food, onions, and other strange items.

The other issue is to what we have made our children into over the years with Christmas.  Not one of the children were appreciative of the gifts.  They were all upset.  Some of the children through a fit.  If you have not watched this, I do want to warn you of a few negative words from a child at the end.  Please listen and watch with out the kids in the room.

All of this may seem like a rant on modern understanding of Christmas.  True, I do not like the commercialism of this sacred day.  What is truly appalling is the fact that this is being passed around Facebook and YouTube as humor.  We are willing to ridicule our children to get them on the television for a few brief moments. 

I admit I have not finished all my Christmas shopping and still looking for something special for some people in my family.  I hope I will not find a reason to make fun of them this year.  If I do, I do not think I will make a video for on Facebook.  But, no matter what I give to others, I hope they revive it with gratitude.  After watching this, I want to have some gratitude for every gift. 

The Yoke of Christ

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30, NIV) 

I am reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, Discipleship.  Some may know it better under the older title, The Cost of Discipleship.  But a newer translation has been made and this is the title of the book I am working on at this time.  No matter the name, Bonhoeffer has in his preface a discussion of the yoke of Christ.  This idea has been in my mind this morning for a number of situations.  The least of which is the personal desire to follow Christ better.

The idea of the Yoke of Christ is taken from the quote above and from other areas in the Gospels.  Jesus tells His listeners and us today to take upon our selves the yoke He offers.  Now,  in most situations and through out the New Testament, many would consider taking on the yoke of Christ to mean something along the lines of following the grace brought through Christ and removing the burden of the law.  This would be a very simple and great gift to the people of Jesus time who were burdened by attempting to follow a very hard and arduous set of rules imposed by the religious elite.  Is this all Jesus was wanting to point out in the lives of His listeners and in our ears today?

I do not think this is the case.  Jesus not only asked people to listen, but He called people to follow Him.  This were His first words to the disciples, "Come and Follow me."  The idea of a yoke is that it is something used by farmers to guide the animals of work.  It also provided a way for the load from the work to be spread out on the shoulders and among other animals and not just a single being.  We are called to be guided and directed by the Jesus not just given a freedom from the law.  

This was the words in the preface of Bonhoffer's book.  Where are you being directed by God today?  What aspects of your life are you willing to give up for Christ to become central in your life?  The yoke is light not because Jesus will demand great work out of us.  It is light because it shares the load with others and we are equipped by Christ Himself to accomplish the life we are being directed towards.  Are you willing to take up the Yoke of Christ?