By CRAIG E. CAMPBELL
The silence of the night was calming. A full moon illuminated the snow covered mountains with a bluish-gray luster.
Brilliant stars in the sky sparkled like a million fireflies to show us the way, for at Christmastime Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus.
Christmas is more than just exchanging presents, decorating the Christmas tree, egg nog, and family gatherings. It is a time for reconciliation of our human weakness with the gift we have been given for salvation. Christmas is a time for optimism, for taking account of God’s purpose for our lives, and for understanding there really is something greater than ourselves in eternity.
“I wanna fly, into the sky
I wanna fly to paradise
All through the night, into the light
I wanna fly to paradise”
Sarah Brightman, Fly to Paradise, 2018
The words of that song express the belief that better days are ahead and our future will be filled with joy and happiness. That through the darkness will come eternal light. So you ask, if that’s true, why is there so much hate, violence, and evil in this world?
We were all born with a free will that allows us to make individual choices. Sometimes, our choice may clash with another person’s choice, thus conflict. Conflict is not necessarily bad, if one strives to resolve conflict through peaceful means to reach an agreeable solution.
However, we were also born with hubris, that internal self-confidence that “I am right, therefore you must be wrong.” We struggle for the internal balance of resolving conflict without harming our hubris. This is not always possible, resulting in violence, hate, and evil.
This past year has been one of the most disruptive in memory. The China virus has taken a toll on society, with increased domestic violence, depression, alcohol and drug abuse all the result of illegal government mandates and violations of our civil liberties in the name of protecting public health.
Our government’s response to the virus has been anything but helpful, it has crippled the American economy and created serious consequences for our nation. We have witnessed violent city riots, significant increases in murders in many cities, and civil discourse has turned harsh and nasty between people. It is leading us towards a general breakdown of civilization and the end of our democratic republic. 2020 was a year of darkness.
In periods of darkness, there is no better time to reflect on our failings and commit to improving ourselves through our daily actions. Only then can we start to see the light and truly make this place a better place to live for everyone.
Christmas is a time to reflect on who we are, seek redemption for our failings, and give praise to God who gave us the means for salvation through truth.
In America, Christmas is the perfect time to understand the fact that we live in a nation that provides the greatest opportunity for individual achievement that the world has ever experienced. Every one of us should thank God we are an American.
The United States Constitution is based on a faith in God. It is not a document inspired by a vision for big government and socialistic principles, nor is it a racist document. If that were the case, the Colonists would not have desired change as they already had that kind of government under King George and the British Empire. Rather, our country was formed on a belief in divine guidance and individual liberty.
Our Constitution starts with “We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” It ends with “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor.”
America is the greatest nation ever created. We did it by the grace of God and inspiration from visionaries that understood that the convergence of human potential and divine guidance can reap extraordinary results. That’s the United States of America.
This Christmas season is the perfect time to recommit ourselves to an American renaissance. Was it not for God’s blessing and creating a place where we have the free will to conquer darkness with light, we would not have a country that provides us opportunity to forge our own destiny.
Christians come from a Jewish legacy. Jews, who have struggled against immense challenges throughout history and held a deep understanding of God’s purpose for humanity.
I am inspired by wisdom from those who understand the struggles we face and the path to enlightenment. From Jewish theology comes Christian values that provide us a peek at our future, best described in the following quote which beautifully summarizes our unified destiny.
“The webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets call shalom. Shalom, in other words, is the way things ought to be.” — Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be: A Breviary of Sin, by Cornelius Plantginga, 1995
May peace be with you as we celebrate the virtues of goodness proclaimed by a Galilean Jewish virgin and carpenter’s son in a distant land over 2,000 years ago. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and belatedly a Happy Hanukkah.
Here’s looking forward to a wonderful 2021. Shalom.
Craig E. Campbell served on the Anchorage Assembly between 1986 and 1995 and later as Alaska’s Tenth Lieutenant Governor. He was the previous Chief Executive Officer and President for Alaska Aerospace Corporation. He retired from the Alaska National Guard as Lieutenant General (AKNG) and holds the concurrent retired Federal rank of Major General (USAF).
