On Christmas Eve of 1914 Belgian, French, and German soldiers hesitantly climbed out of their blood and mud filled trenches and navigated barbed wire to meet in “no man’s land”. They shared tobacco, drank wine, exchanged pleasantries and even played friendly games of soccer. This historical Christmas day has come to be known as “The Christmas Truce.” Soldiers who were trying to kill each other on the French battlefields of WWI a couple of hours earlier, were now enjoying each other’s company and celebrating Christmas. There wasn’t an atom of hate, as one biographer described it.
How is it possible that groups of people who seemingly hated each other all of a sudden became close friends?
Such acts of humility, kindness, and joy are signs of Christ’s Spirit alive in people’s hearts. This historical event shows us that God’s spirit is inside everyone. However, we have the choice to ignore or embrace that voice. On Christmas of 1914 these men embraced God’s Spirit. As a result they became liberated from hate, anger, and fear and became Jesus’s light in the most unlikely of places – a bloody, muddy, disease infected, desolate battlefield. Men who were once sources of darkness to the world became sources of light.
There’s a lot of unavoidable darkness in the world. The question we need to ask ourselves this Christmas and beyond is this: Am I going to be a source of darkness or light to the people around me? This is a decision you and I need to make every day we wake up.
Let us pray,
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
God, my light and salvation, enable me to find joy and hope even in my darkest days. Ignite my heart so that I may be a source of joy and hope to those surrounded by darkness and doubt. Amen.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
