11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” 16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
Luke 2:11-20 (NLT)
BOXING DAY
I have a friend at work who is from just outside of London named Robin. Over the years we have worked together, he has taught me a lot about English customs, including how to decipher quality tea, understand the depths of the promotion and relegation system in European soccer, and gain an appreciation for holiday traditions.
In England, a big deal is made out of December 24 through December 26. Many companies are closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and then Boxing Day. Robin has explained to me that Boxing Day is an extension of the Christmas celebration and includes some unique traditions.
Its origins stem from wealthy English households and their servant staff. Servants would work on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and then, as a customary treat, would be given the 26th off. Additionally, their masters would often give gifts in boxes on that day, prompting the term “Boxing Day.”
Now, it has become a day centered around watching soccer, spending time with family, and eating leftover Christmas food. Leftover vegetables are cooked in frying pans and called “bubble and squeak” because of the sound they make while cooking. I wish that when we gained independence from England, we had made an effort to keep Boxing Day in the mix.
This harkens back to a time when servanthood was considered a more noble profession than it often is today. The holiday was a form of respite for the staff, a way to honor them and their hard work.
Jesus himself spoke about our calling to serve others, saying, “…whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43–45).
Horst Schulze, one of the founding members of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, used to inspire his staff by saying, “We are ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” This simple phrase adds a measure of dignity to the role of serving others, something for which the company became well known at an exceedingly high level.
Serving others is noble and dignified, and it is the expectation that has been set before us. For what better example of service could we have than Jesus?
Our work here is to serve others, because that is the example he has set for us. Similar to Boxing Day, we will one day have the chance to rest from our work in eternity. So as you begin to set a course for a new year, perhaps challenge yourself to consider how you can better serve those around you.
Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.
