You might be surprised to know that the Christmas wreath first originated as a symbol of Christ. That’s right. That circular evergreen wreath that hangs on many doors as decoration for Christmas is a picture of Jesus, but not Baby Jesus in a manger. It points to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Simply put, the holly represents the crown of thorns Jesus wore at his crucifixion and the red berries stand for the blood he shed. Over time, like many traditions, the meaning gets lost in the celebration of Christmas.
That picture got me thinking. “What is my life representing? Or Who is my life representing that just might getting lost in the busyness of the holiday? 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
An ambassador is an approved diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to another country. He or she represents the king or government that sent them. As a Christ-follower, that is our role…to represent accurately our king who sent us…Jesus Christ. Don’t let the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season crowd out our number one role which is representing Jesus everywhere we go. So when you see a wreath this holiday, let it remind you that the real reason for the season is more than remembering Christ’s birth but eventually His death.