My graying hair is not the only thing that tells my age. If there is not a considerable amount of light in a room, my vision is significantly impaired. And trying to read something in the dark? Forget about it! Eating out the other night, I picked up a lighted candle that was on my table and nearly burned down the restaurant trying to read the menu! I charred part of the menu, but thankfully, there were no flames.

So to prevent the pastor of First Christian Church from one day being arrested for arson, I have decided to keep a little pocket-light on my key chain at all times. Because looking at the dark world through 47 year-old eyes is becoming more difficult by the day, and especially by the night.

Figuratively speaking, looking at our dark world with frail, finite eyes can sometimes be even more difficult. Some days, everywhere we look, we only see darkness and despair.

On Christmas Eve churches all over the world will gather together to celebrate Christmas by lighting candles to celebrate the Light of the World who has come to shine light into our darkness. This Light has changed the way we see ourselves and this world forever. Instead of looking at the world with frail, finite eyes, with faith we are able to look at the world with the eyes of Christmas.

Looking at the world with the eyes of Christmas means believing God is here with us and has identified with us. God knows what it is like to be a human being. God shares in our joy, but God also shares in our suffering. God doesn’t cause our misery; God feels our misery.

Looking at the world with the eyes of Christmas also means believing that God is working in the world bringing order out of the chaos, triumph out of defeat, and life out of death.

Looking at the world with the eyes of Christmas means believing that God is very much a part of our world and our lives, shining light in the darkness, giving joy where there is sorrow, bringing peace where there is confusion, granting forgiveness where there are mistakes, sharing love where there is hate, and giving hope where there is despair.

Like a 47 year-old turning on a pocket light to read a menu, Christmas adjusts our focus and sharpens our vision, and we begin to see the whole creation in a brand new Light. Misery becomes opportunity. Strangers become family. Enemies become friends. Everyday becomes gift.