I have no interest in offending anyone's tradition I just like to make good sense out of whatever I do. Before I get those funny looks for being the grinch that stole birthdays, I like to ponder the reasons for things.
I don't like to do things that don't make sense to me. So this is all about how I think with some basis in the Bible. Yes, I have been to birthday parties that I enjoyed and I go if I am invited because it is our culture, however that does not stop me from assessing its value.
Celebrating a dead person's birthday doesn't make sense to me. The person who had the birthday is not there to enjoy it, so we must conclude that all the birthdays arranged for the person when they were alive were for those who liked to arrange them more than for the person being honored. There are those always looking for an emotional high and an excuse for a party.
Christ's birthday was not celebrated, His coming to earth was about why He came. We celebrate the death burial and resurrection of Christ in the Lord's Supper because He told us to and because He saved us from hell.
There was never a mention of a celebration of anyone's birthday in the Bible.
In the past, Christians did not celebrate birthdays because of their connection to paganism.
When a Pharoah was made the king on the day of his coronation this day was seen as his birth as a god. That was the day that was celebrated and only the Pharoah's celebrated the day they were made a god. No one else practiced this phenomenon of the "birthday."
So many things we practice today as a culture had their origins in paganism. I am not going to tell anyone they should not celebrate a birthday in the context of our modern world.
However, notice how holidays and birthdays have become overblown and they all had their origins in paganism. Parents are giving lavish parties for their children every year with buddies from school being invited. They are so frequent that it has become a burden for many people.
If a child's family doesn't have a big party for them they think something is wrong and they are unhappy. Unhappy over what? Unhappy because the world made them think this practice is a must and an expression of love.
It's not bad enough that the parties have become a burden, some people are offended that we didn't' show up for the party of a dead person who isn't even there to enjoy it.
Do what you want to but remember that others have a choice and their choice should be honored. Some people love the quiet uneventful life of the born again believer, enjoying their work, smelling the roses and serving others in need. These people do not have time for constant revelry and gift-giving to people who already have more than they need.
Perhaps gift-giving meant more when people had real needs that they could not afford to buy for themselves. And, gifts were given for no reason except that someone needed something.
I am not sure our culture understands what qualifies as a need anymore. A warm coat when one does not have one is a need. Shoes, when someone does not have them, is a need.
Most gifts given today are not needs they only want and perhaps indulgences. We are a spoiled culture looking for the next uproarious party. When there isn't one around the bend people are bored and must look forward to the next social affair to satisfy their lust for pleasure.
There are also parents who feel pressured by the culture as if they are not good parents if they don't throw a party for their children.
I understand that it's nice to make another person feel a sense of belonging and joy, but why can we not do this with normal everyday acceptance and encouragement for a job well done or for serving others.
Now we are all trapped into the bondage of doing all these social things the culture thinks we should do. Breaking from traditions and culture is very difficult. Since we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings we go along.
I prefer to spend lots of time with people interacting in meaningful ways far more than attending a superficial party in which no one discusses or attends to anything worthwhile except momentary glory for one person for being born.
We see that pleasure has become the goal of our culture. Because everything must be pleasurable there is little attention paid to important and meaningful life experiences between people.
When we get to the marriage supper of the Lamb we will be celebrating our marriage to Christ. He will be the focus and our joy will be meaningful and full. I am so looking forward to celebrating those things that pertain to Him and have great importance in the Kingdom of God.
I am looking forward to celebrating these things with all the other born again believers who value all the same things, that is Christ and His principles.
Hallelujah!!!!!
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