Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Anniversary (04/11/05)
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TITLE: Lost In Translation | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jeremy Swift
04/17/05 -
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The Winans sang a song which encompassed the lyrics “And who said that tomorrow would ever come for you?” Yet, individuals are still inclined to put things in life off until a later date. Why wait until tomorrow to appreciate your gifts from above? Why wait until next week to tell someone you care about them? Why wait for one day to show someone how utterly special they are to you? Why wait…
Everyday is special and brings about new wonders. Each day that comes and goes allows one to reach a goal they had been longing to reach. Settle a dispute they let go for so long. And more so, thank God that they made it through the fire and are surely coming out gold. Each day is special; however, each day is not treated that way.
In today’s society we have been caught up with the tradition of habit. On this day we will celebrate God. On this day we will commemorate Jesus’ birth. On this day of the year we will all come together and pray. But what happens if “that day” is too late.
What if that traditional day of worshipping God doesn’t come for you? What if the day you decide to bring him into your heart doesn’t come soon enough: Worst of all, what if the day of commemoration, the anniversary of a particular event, to celebrate something becomes lost in translation? Christmas is one of those days.
When it comes to the Christmas season the message of the holiday seems to get lost behind the actions it entails. The message of Jesus’ birth gets lost behind the distorted action of giving and receiving. “It is better to give than to receive” as Acts 20:35 points out, however, overtime the emphasis has been put on receiving. The anniversary of the birth of our Lord and Savior is lost behind the greed of pleasing someone else’s wants. Furthermore, expectations of that day can soon turn sour.
When an anniversary is at hand, often times, extreme measures are taken. People engage in behaviors they don’t display throughout the year. And furthermore stress and burdens are placed upon individuals. Anniversaries soon become outdoing what you did the year before and trying to please someone’s expectations. In actuality, that is not what an anniversary should be.
Anniversaries should be a reflection on all the loving things you have done for each other throughout the year. It should be a time to appreciate the unconditional love that has been displayed to you for the time you have known the person. It’s a time of admiration, not a time to make-up for, cover-up, or create new memories that overshadow all previous memories. For the time in which you try to up the ante, could very well be too late.
Don’t wait until tomorrow to appreciate the ones you love, for you or they may not make it to that day. The day to let someone know your feelings is now. For today could be the day they really need to hear it. Some may argue that “God’s delays are not His denials” but what they forget to realize is God is omnipotent and he knows what tomorrow holds for us. We, as his creation, do not.
When you feel like you have to set a day to celebrate the love and appreciation you have for someone, stop and think if time will actually permit. Waiting could lead to unforeseen consequences. The sinner who waited to accept Jesus into his heart has to pay an eternal price. Although every situation will not lead to an eternal outcome they can very well lead to a more pleasant journey into eternity.
So appreciate and tell the ones you love today. Show them each and every day how special they are to you. And use anniversaries to reflect on what has already been established. As the Winans end their song, “Your tomorrow could very well be here today!”
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