Even an Ounce of Courage Can Make a Difference

I recently watched this movie, and I loved it!

I started watching it with a lot of trepidation. The synopsis on the back does not make it sound very interesting. I figured I would watch it for 10 minutes, give it a poor rating and be done with it. After all, it's about saving Christmas! I have never been so glad to be wrong!

It can be a little cheesy in places, but it's well worth sticking with it. It's set in a time when Bibles aren't allowed in school, and Christmas is rejected in favor of a "winter holiday" theme. This is one man's stand to bring Christmas (still a national holiday) back to his small town in spite of heavy persecution and bullying from a government representative.

A lot of people who rated this movie online didn't like this movie, and I can understand why. It can be written off as "religious fanaticism" because it seems hard to fathom that such a basic freedom would be taken away. In the movie, the government official cites other religious holidays as a reason to remove Christmas - fear of offending someone. The main character replies that you can still celebrate what Christmas stands for, or what it originally stood for, whatever you believe.

Fear of offending someone. That's a big deal. There is so much fear that someone will sue us, or take offense at what we do, that we don't consider what backing off might do. One day, it might not be safe to celebrate Christmas. In the movie, the main character's son goes off to fight in the middle east, where Christmas is already a crime.

There's a lot to this movie, but it's mostly about taking a stand for our freedoms. In fact, America was founded on freedom of religion. Many people fled their home countries, and sought sanctuary in America from religious persecution. Some still do. It's an important thing to remember. If we don't speak up, if we don't take action, our freedoms can - will - disappear one by one.

Satan is just waiting for us to worry a little too much about offending someone with our beliefs. He is just waiting for the moment when we choose to back down. That thought scares me. A lot.

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"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile" (Romans 1:16).

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13).