It inevitably happens around this time
of year…a card, gift bag, or present with the “abbreviation” of the holiday
greeting “Merry X-Mas!” Merry WHAT??? Wait just a minute! In today’s societal
norms of “being offended” by everything, I might be quick to emphatically
state, “Don't you dare replace the name of "Christ" with an
"X!"
Now, of course, I'm being a little
facetious, but in all honesty, I can't tell you how irritating it was and how
angry it made me when I would see someone who would use an "X"
instead of "Christ" when displaying or writing out the word
"Christmas."
The same was true for any marquee,
business or sign that displayed that big 'ol "X" instead of the name
of "Christ." I thought "how lazy, irreverent, and
sacrilegious must you be to 'x-out' Christ?" Until I learned an
interesting theological point behind the "X" did I finally become
comfortable using the "X."
You see, we must go back and learn
that the Greek word for Christ is Xristos.
Did you catch the first letter in that word? You guessed it! It is an "X!"
Thus the abbreviation is simply the letter “X.”
Therefore, the term X-mas is not taking Christ out of
Christmas at all. So, now,
instead of being offended, I simply grin (with a modest chuckle) realizing that all
those times that I thought were incidents where others were supposedly taking
"Christ" out of Christmas by using an "X" were actually KEEPING
the name of Christ in Christmas after all!
Of course, on a side note, once I
learned this, I was quickly convicted that I had been showing a lot of ill-will
and judgment towards others. I was harboring bitterness and resentment in my
heart towards others. So, yes…spending some time in confession, repentance and
asking God to forgive me and to change my heart for my past mis-understanding and
behavior.
So, bottom line, whether we use “X” or
“Christ” in “Christmas’, we just can't silence the message of Isaiah
9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and
the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Have a blessed Christmas season and,
by the way, MERRY X-MAS!!