The truth is I really don't see much tinsel any more.

As you know, every world area that celebrates Christmas has its own way of doing so. When I was a boy growing up in the U.S., it was common to haul a fresh evergreen tree into the home and decorate it with lights, ornaments, and long, thin strips of shiny metal foil called "tinsel."

Our whole family was usually involved in decorating the tree, but Dad was definitely the leader. Christmas was his favorite time of the year and decorating the tree was a religious experience for him. We kids enjoyed helping him with the lights and ornaments, but the tinsel was another matter entirely.

Dad was the Tinsel Man. It had to be hung one strand at a time, covering the entire tree with the shiny, reflective strips. Frankly, they were annoying, and so was the Tinsel Man when he insisted that we follow his precise example. I just wanted to get the tinsel hung because the faster that was done, the sooner we could go on to important things—such as eating candy and making sure everyone knew all the things I wanted for Christmas.

I just didn't get why the Tinsel Man was so particular about this process. Dad was generally easygoing, but when I tried to empty a fistful of tinsel on one of the branches, he'd spot it in a minute and require me to refocus and do it right.

As I grew older, I finally grasped it. My Dad was saved out of a life of deep sin. The transformation was so obvious and life changing that it reshaped everything for him. Jesus really became the Light of his world. When hanging those Christmas lights, he was thinking about Jesus, and the tinsel reflecting the brilliance of the lights made everything more beautiful.

I noticed as I got older how much my parents' lives reflected the light of Jesus.

The Christmas lights were dazzling and fun, and I still enjoyed all the trimmings of Christmas, but most important were the examples of Dad and Mom that reflected the glow and glory of Jesus throughout the year. That really is the way all of us ought to be—powerful lives reflecting the light of Jesus!

As we approach this busy Christmas season, will we demonstrate the reflected life in real situations, tempering our impatience while waiting in long lines at the store or post office? Let's be like the Tinsel Man and allow the Spirit of Christ to reflect His light through us. He is the brightest Light of them all. After all, He is the Light of the World.

Paul G. Cunningham

Holiness Today, November/December 2005

Please note: This article was originally published in 2005. All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at that time but may have since changed.