Modern Christmas Grinches

As Advent approaches, an interesting perspective from Kevin DeYoung. Sure, there's merit to abandoning Western Christmas traditions and taking, for example, an ascetic approach to celebrating Jesus's birth, but it's a bit hypocritical to have a Grinch-like rebuking aura to others when celebrating a season of Joy.

There is a time for fasting in the Christian life and a time for feasting. The Old Testament teaches us that. And so does Jesus. If Western Christianity is selfish and bloated, let us be the first to say so and the first to show a more excellent way. But let us be the last to use the occasion of the incarnation for moral preening. If the disciples were to rejoice when the Bridegroom was with them, surely we can do better than to be outraged sourpusses every year when we commemorate his coming.

Read the rest here.