I hear the familiar refrain as I walk past the grocery store displays or round another toy aisle in Target. I hear it again as I drive through the neighborhood admiring the twinkling lights or see pictures of yet another friend’s holiday gathering on Facebook.
More. More. More.
Just one more side or dessert to add to the Christmas Day menu.
Just one more present to add to the tree or sneak into the kids’ stocking.
Just one more decoration, one more string of lights, one more holiday activity to add to the already bursting calendar.
Just one more.
Because no matter how much we have or buy or try to achieve during this busy season, it just never seems ‘enough’.
And I have to wonder why. Why the striving, why the greed, why the insatiable thirst for more—when the story of the nativity is, at its heart, one of the utmost simplicity.
Mary had no Amazon wish list or Pinterest-worthy nursery prepped for her baby boy. Just a threadbare, unsanitary stable and a few cloths to wrap Him in to keep out the cold.
There were no sparkling, festive Christmas lights to welcome His arrival. Just a starry night sky.
There was no fancy first Christmas gathering to celebrate Him either—just some local shepherds who dropped in unannounced after a day at work.
There’s no doubt God could have saved the world with all the might and fanfare this moment deserved. That He deserved.
But He didn’t.
He chose a baby. He chose an unwed mother. He chose a stable, shepherds, and a star. He chose what was considered low and unworthy and unimportant. Ultimately, He removed the clutter and enabled us to see what was most important.
The Savior who gave His life for ours. And the God who sent Him here.
Friends, if you are tempted to strive for more this Christmas season, remember He is more than enough.
He is everything.
And if our Christmas is wholly focused on Him, there is nothing more we need.
He is More Than Enough
Vicki Bentley
A Scottish native, Vicki now calls Upstate New York home, where she lives with her husband and two young daughters. A writer turned editor, she loves to encourage women to pursue Jesus-centered, joy-filled living in the gloriously hard and wonderful trenches of motherhood. Being part of the Joyful Life team and community is both a blessing and a privilege, providing an opportunity for her to combine her gifts and passions in a unique and special way to speak truth into the hearts and lives of women. In her ‘free’ time Vicki loves to consume books and strong coffee, and get outdoors to enjoy the very varied, yet consistently beautiful seasons of the Northeast. You can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, or on her website.