“Home Alone” for Christmas
One of my favorite movies of all time is the first “Home Alone”. It’s one of those movies I could watch over and over. From Kevin’s mom screaming his name to the “wet bandits” trying to break into the house, it is full of one liners and great moments. At the beginning of the movie, Kevin is not really concerned that he is home alone, it is his family. To Kevin, he has it made. Nobody is telling him what to do and no brother is around to bother him. He is in heaven! But soon, Kevin realizes that this freedom is not what it is all cracked up to be. He actually misses them.
The same can be said for single adults. This time of the year, many singles are left “home alone” and it doesn’t seem so bad till it’s actually Christmas. In a culture where we seem to idolize individuals, Christmas reminds us that being alone, at the bottom or the top, is not what it is all cracked up to be. See, we were created to be relational. That is why being alone at Christmas stinks! It’s supposed to! Eccl. 4:9-11 reminds us that it is pitiful to be alone. We were created in the image of God and that god-head is three persons. They are never alone. They are so close that we worship one God. So if we are created by a relational God, we should naturally desire fellowship with others made in that image. (Gen 1:27).
This is not a reminder that you don’t have a boyfriend or girlfriend, this is to remind you that you need other human beings! Proverbs reminds us that “iron sharpens iron”. And in the Gospels, Acts, and Paul’s letter we are reminded multiple times how important the local church is in our walk with Christ. Many of you may be thinking right now that it is just easier to be alone. But that is the point! I’ve always been reminded by my life’s circumstances that those things that are the most important in life, are worth fighting for. The people that you probably miss the most can also be the ones you wish you were with you this Christmas season and there are a lot of you out there that can speak from personal testimony off loss. Don’t miss this Christmas! It could be your last chance to have it with a loved one.
So my comfort to you as a single this Christmas season is that, if you find yourself alone on Christmas, and have moments of feeling lonely – don’t feel like you are weak. No…YOU ARE HUMAN!
My challenge is for you to find someone to have Christmas with (ending with preposition on purpose). If you are a believer and have a church home, call one of the church leaders and ask if there is someone they know that might be alone this Christmas too. And finally, if someone has invited you over for Christmas, don’t try to be holier than thou….GO!
Hoping all have a Christ -Centered and “Unalone” Christmas!
Philip Brown
College and Singles Pastor – Ninth and O Baptist Church
