Love Made Visible

Dave Brubeck isn’t well known for music that makes profound theological statements about Christmas.  He is better known for progressive jazz songs like “Take Five” and “Take the ‘A’ Train.”  But, later in his career, Brubeck and his wife Iola crafted a lyric that could inspire the best of Christmas sermons.

One day, while driving down the road, Brubeck announced to his wife that he had finished a new song.  Being familiar with the song, Iola disagreed.  She said, “No, you haven’t finished it.” Brubeck asked, “Well, what did I leave out?” She suggested a new lyric: “God’s love made visible. He is invincible.  God’s love made visible.”  Brubeck said that her lyric “finished it.”

I think that statement could finish a lot of talk about Christmas.  Christmas is the time when God’s love is made visible.  The Gospel of John agrees in saying, “The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”  On Christmas morning, the glorious love of God was seen in Jesus Christ.  His people experienced that love as they came to know Jesus.  That love spreads through them as they love the world.  As Jesus works in and through the actions of His people, the world sees the love of God.

As you go through Christmas week, make God’s love visible.  Look for Jesus Christ in the midst of all the holiday business.  As you see Him, let His love flow through you to a hurting world.  God’s love is visible this Christmas.  Your life can be a testimony to the truth of that profound lyric.