This is a word that can cause the discomfort of the believer and the non-believer. It’s an equal opportunity squirmsh word. The believer feels discomfort at being bold or offending or getting too personal or just stepping on toes. The non-believer doesn’t want to be preached at, proselytized or be told what to believe.
This can make everyone uncomfortable with the present connotation of the word evangelism. It has even been used to describe a group of Christian believers as being evangelical. This group gives hope to some and infuriates others. This group has made their presence known on more than just Sundays, but has been credited in large part to a November 2nd victory for President Bush.
The original meaning of a term that sets many hearts a blaze in one direction or another is simply to bring the good news of salvation. Of course it is the disagreement of how salvation is attained or if it is even required that causes such turmoil.
This Christmas my company decided to decorate their office doors for the holidays, and since we happen to have exactly 12 doors they decided on doing the 12 days of Christmas as a theme. Each door was to be decorated as a specific day. I seized this opportunity to share the good news with anyone that walked by my door. I choose the ninth day, 9 ladies dancing.
A proposed origin for the song, that can neither be proven nor refuted, is that during the 16th Century when Christians were persecuted in England and unable to worship publicly, they created the song to teach catechism (brief summary of the basic principles of Christianity) to children. The outline of the days and their suggested original meaning appears below:
• A Partridge in a Pear Tree – Jesus Christ
• Two Turtle Doves – Old and New Testament
• Three French Hens – Theological Virtues (Faith, Hope, Love)
• Four Calling Birds – Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
• Five Golden Rings – Torah/Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)
• Six Geese A-Laying – Days of Creation
• Seven Swans A-Swimming – Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Prophecy, Ministry, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leading, Compassion)
• Eight Maids A-milking – Beatitudes (Blessed are the: Poor, Those who morn, Meek, Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, Merciful, Pure in heart, Peacemakers, Those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake)
• Nine Ladies Dancing – Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Generosity, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control)
• Ten Lords A-leaping – Ten Commandments
• Eleven Pipers Piping – Faithful Apostles (Judas Iscariot excluded for betraying Jesus)
• Twelve Drummers Drumming – Points of Doctrine in the Apostle’s Creed
My door has the passage from Galatians 5 that gives the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit. Then there are nine silhouettes of ladies dancing flowing down from the passage which cover my door. Each lady has one of the fruits along with an Old and New Testament passage bearing witness to that fruit.
The fruit that requires most of my attention is patience. The two passages that I have posted to remind me and anyone else that walks by my office of that fruit appear below:
Ecclesiastes 7: 8-9
The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.
James 1: 4
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
There is a saying that goes, "never pray for patience because it will be answered". Part of praying is giving thanks for what you already have, but another very important part is asking for growth in overcoming your weakness. I pray for patience regularly and find myself tested daily. What a wonderful feeling it is to know that God is listening!
Luke 2: 1-20
And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.
Matthew 1: 18-25, 2: 9-12
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.