Have you ever seen such injustice in the world that it made you want to start a movement? Things like racism, gender inequality, and starving children spike up outrage in all of us. Maybe you have been fired up about a dictator in another country, or about wasted money in the government's budget. Kudos to you because you have gotten fired up about things that need justice and a voice behind it.
One such thing recently that some have deemed a cause for offense, is Starbucks' new "Satan Sippers" (as coined by Ellen DeGeneres). If you are unaware of this controversy, some Christians are upset that Starbucks' holiday cup is void of all things Christmas. Arizona-based evangelist Josua Feuerstein claims that the move to make the cups plain red is because the company "hates Jesus" in a video on his Facebook page, and starts a hashtag movement called #MerryChristmasStarbucks. Starbucks says that they went with the hombre red cup so that people could decorate it and write messages on it to express their own interpretation of the holiday on it.
So is this a reason to start a movement called #MerryChristmasStarbucks? I would say it's not. It is a cup. I appeal to you my brothers and sisters in Christ who are offended, please stop. You're doing it wrong.
First of all, the main reason of this outrage is the fact that some people believe that the word Christmas in and of itself is holy. It's not. It is a name given to a day on which Christians celebrate Jesus' birth. The part that is holy is the attitude of the heart of the ones celebrating the day.
1 Samuel 16:7b says:
"The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
Now there is no mandate in the Bible for Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus. It was a holiday made by church leaders way back when. Today it is a large part of our society that has become largely commercialized. No matter what the intentions of the people today are or the people of yesterday were, I know that as a son of God I have to keep my heart in the right place. I could wear Christmas sweaters, Jesus t-shirts, and get tattoos of crosses all over body but if my heart is far from the heart of God to love people, if I hate my brother or my sister, or if I stay selfish and ignore the hurting around me then I am like a white-washed tomb. Everything looks good and beautiful to the world around it but all it houses is death.
I'm not saying that there is something wrong with all the things we associate with Christmas like Santa and snow. I'm saying there is something wrong when we as believers put those things above the reason we celebrate. I'm not saying we shouldn't stand up for our beliefs and convictions. I'm saying pick your battles wisely and in ways that will show love. I leave you with this verse.
John 13:34-35 says:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know you are my disciples if you love one another."
Do people know you are his disciple or do they think you are just another uncaring religious person?
