I have been driving a car for 43 years. This is the first time I had to read the manual to learn how to use my key. It’s called an ‘Intelligent key’. Actually it is not a key at but resembles a key remote (reminds me of the one I had when I lost my last set of car keys. Now, I don’t feel so dumb losing those keys and remote. They were the ones not ‘intelligent’). Anyway, once I put the remote, excuse me… once I put the ‘intelligent key’ in my pocket the car senses when we are close enough to unlock. When inside the car I still do not have to remove the ‘intelligent key from my pocket. The car senses it is in the car, I push a button and the car starts. While I am driving the car figures gas mileage, the average speed and how much further I can go on this tank of gas, tells me the outside temperature and even senses when a small child is in the front seat who would be endangered by the passenger air bag so it disables that air bag until the child gets out of that seat. I quit reading the manual after learning those things. I have had enough of being intimidated by my car’s superior intelligence that seems to threaten my own.
My car is not the only clever device in my life. My daughters call me on their ‘smart’ phones. I have yet to go that route. I don’t want a phone so arrogant that it even brags on being smart with its name. Although, I have had some 23 years of formal education (no, that does not mean I wore a tux to class.) I don’t go around crowing or calling myself ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’! (Perhaps those who spend time around me and know I still have not found my keys and remote to my old car, as well as a growing list of other things that humble me, understand why I don’t go around claiming to be ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ like some cocky phones & keys.)
We have become accustomed to ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ devices that can help us in our daily life. They answer the phone for us, watch favorite TV programs when we are not home (and even skip over the commercials we would not want to watch). Nevertheless, there is a point I want to make as I continue to marvel at all the devices that that have come into our lives that seem to be so ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’. Since we can create such ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ devices to aid our lives why can’t we be smart or intelligent enough to realize that a holiday that was set to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ should be known as Christmas?
Although Jesus was probably born closer to September on our calendar, historically December 25 has been set aside as a holiday to acknowledge and celebrate his birth. This is not unlike the way we set aside a day in February to acknowledge and celebrate the birthdays of President Washington and Lincoln, neither were born on Presidents’ Day but the purpose of the day is to remember both. It would not be ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ to ignore Lincoln or Washington on that particular day. The original purpose of the day is to recognize both men…Duh! Long before this commonly accepted practice, as well as other similar holiday celebrations, the precedent of Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus was historically set. So, how ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ can it be to assign or promote some nebulous “Holiday Greeting” to seek to avoid the real meaning and purpose of Christmas? It is stupid to do otherwise. Enough already!
Therefore, if my car keys can be ‘intelligent’ and our phones can be ‘smart’ why can’t we be bright enough to just be done with all the foolishness that seeks to avoid Jesus, especially at Christmas and have a Merry Christmas? How dumb can we be? Now, if I could just find my glasses I could address some Christmas cards to share Christ like love and greetings. Oh well, I guess I will have to do the ‘smart’ or ‘intelligent’ thing and honor the birth of Jesus by living a life that brings “peace on earth and good will to men”!
Merry Christmas!
