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Peace. Joy. Love. Words that permeate the holiday season.

I love Christmas. Everything about it—the lights, the music, the decorations, Hallmark movies, and especially the birth of our Savior. Most of the time, my tree goes up before Thanksgiving—sometimes way before.

Christmas softens even the hardest heart. People are more considerate. They go out of their way to be kind and to do things for others they wouldn’t normally do. Good will abounds. It’s a magical time of year, filled with excitement and expectancy. Even children are on their best behavior because “Santa is watching.”

Joy and anticipation surround the entire holiday season, but what happens on December 26? For many, the lights go out, the music stops, the tree comes down, and the decorations are packed away for another year. Joy is replaced by grumbling about the upcoming year. Peace and good will fall by the wayside.

For weeks, we experience everything that comes with this blessed time of year. Then, like a flash, those things are packed away with the decorations. Back to business as usual. It’s anticlimactic. And to me, the saddest day of the year.

Christmas is meant to be a celebration of Jesus’ birth. A time to remember. To love. To give.  But it shouldn’t happen for only a few days during the year. That feeling should dwell in our heart every day.

The song says, “We need a little Christmas all year long.” To that I say, “Amen!” As God’s children, we should be the most joyful people on earth. People who are filled with His peace and who spread His love to the world—not just during the holidays, but each day of the year.

After all … peace, joy, and love are not just meant for Christmas, right?

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)