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"Men are just happier people." That assertion was made in an anonymous essay posted on the internet some years ago. The essay was titled, "The joys of being a male." Why? The author pointed out some of the advantages with regard to being male: "Your last name stays put. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack. You can never be pregnant. Same work, more pay. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress: $5,000. Tux rental: $100. New shoes don't cut, blister or mangle your feet.
"Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, they can still be your friend."
"Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck."
"You can play with toys all your life. One wallet and one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can "do" your nails with a pocketknife."
And here's the clincher, "You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on Dec. 24 in 25 minutes." "No wonder," he says, "men are happier."
Well, I hope all of us men will do a better job this year. We still have a few days left to get prepared.
To be fair, we should note, someone else published a list of "Things Wives Don't Want to Hear Their Husbands Say On Christmas Day."
"You like it, hon? Almost look like real diamonds, don't they?"
"That's right, hon. Your own subscription to 'Guns and Ammo.'"
"It's two sizes smaller, darling‑ ‑ you know, for motivation."
And the final thing wives don't want to hear: "Well, if it isn't Roy and Angela and their seven kids, with suitcases. What a pleasant surprise!"
In Isaiah7:14 the prophet is preparing his people for a great surprise, the coming Messiah. "Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel."
In the Gospel of Matthew, we read how this prophecy is fulfilled. An angel appears to Joseph in a dream and says to him: "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means, "God with us."
Here is why we celebrate Christmas. God came to dwell with us. "They will call him Immanuel, God with us."
What does it mean to say that God is with us? It means God cares enough for us to invade the chaos of our lives.
Consider a young boy, the son of a rabbi, who battled severe emotional problems. One day the boy went into his backyard, removed all his clothing, assumed a crouched position, and began to gobble like a turkey. He did this, not just for hours or days, but for weeks. No pleading would dissuade him. No psychotherapist could help him.
A friend of the rabbi, having watched the boy and shared the father's grief, offered to help. He, too, went into the backyard and removed his clothes. He crouched beside the boy and began gobbling, turkey-like. For days, nothing changed. Finally, the friend spoke to the son. "Do you think it would be all right for turkeys to wear shirts?" After some thought and many gobbles, the son agreed. So, they put on their shirts.
Days later the friend asked the boy if it would be acceptable for turkeys to wear trousers. The boy nodded. In time, the friend redressed the boy. And, in time, the boy returned to normal.
What an amazing story. What amazing love. This is what Christmas is all about. It's more than the birth of a special baby, it is more than an angels' song. It's God invading our world, stripping himself of all His power and dignity that he might die naked on a cross on our behalf.
And what's our response to God's coming into our world? It's to take the love of Christ to everyone we meet and pass on to others what's been given to us.
Do we need to say anything more about the meaning of Christmas? Isaiah said it all nearly three thousand years ago: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" which means, "God with us." When God is with us, we are empowered to live in extraordinary ways.
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Rev. Charles Eldredge is a member of Maitland Church of the Brethren. He has a Facebook page and can be contacted by email: ce1133 @verizon.net.