I was discussing the use of ‘X’ in X-mas with a friend this morning.  I was explaining that from what I had heard in the past, the term came from the first letter in the name Christ in Greek, which begins with an ‘X’.  As we were speaking, a young lady standing nearby spoke up.  She explained that for the early Christians, ‘X’ became a type of code word to identify themselves with Christ.  Being hunted and outlawed, Jesus t-shirts were just really not an option, and so a woman might write an ‘X’ in the sand.  Another Christian would recognize the significance of that and relationships could follow.

Which got me wondering.  What would my faith look like, if the only outward proclamation of it could be an ‘X’, if I had to be so covert in my ministry and service, that anything other than an ‘X’ would expose myself and many others to imprisonment or even death?  Could it be that I would begin to take this battle a bit more seriously?  Would I perhaps become more intentional in my prayer life, more insistent on hearing my master’s voice, more sacrificial in my love for my comrades?   What if I led my life like I really believed Jesus when he said that he was sending us out like sheep among wolves?

I hear so many complain that Christmas has become so commercialized and popularized that it really has no significance.  I wonder what would happen if once again, we would begin to celebrate the mission of our King, who flew in under the radar, to invade enemy territory so that we could be released from the captivity that had surrounded us.  The same one who has called us into this great, but very dangerous adventure.  The one code named ‘X’ … the Christ.

I wonder? 

Merry X-mas!

To the King,

David