On October 9, we celebrated Columbus Day in America. Well, most of us did.
The Los Angeles City Council voted recently to eliminate Columbus Day from the city calendar because Christopher Columbus mistreated Native Americans. It saddened me to think that we may one day have a country with no holidays. I asked myself, “What is the purpose of a holiday anyway?” My answer—to remember a significant person or event so that we can never forget the extraordinary distinction and always maintain a heart of gratitude for it.
If we are only going to celebrate holidays that honor righteous men and women, then all holidays celebrating particular persons will eventually be voted out—goodbye to honoring the birthdays of Martin Luther King Jr and George Washington. Easter and Christmas celebrate a perfect man, Jesus, but His name alone offends too many people.
Labor Day offends lazy people, Halloween celebrates pagan gods and Thanksgiving includes the same Native Americans mistreated by Columbus. At first, the celebration of our nation’s independence looks to remain on the list, but if you consider that the freedom we celebrate required bloodshed and death, then no way. Those who are offended by killing will vote to eliminate Veterans Day and Memorial Day too. Perhaps only New Year’s Day will survive, but eventually, the anti-firearms people may also become anti-fireworks people. There you have it...a country with no holidays.
Don't despair, my friends…just be patient. The Kingdom of Jesus is coming…the same one mentioned in the Lord’s Prayer…“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10) where every day will be worthy of celebration, especially the day Jesus defeats Satan (Rev 20:10).