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’Tis the Season. Let’s Acknowledge Why We Have It in the First Place.
’Tis the season to spend time with family, exchange gifts, have a feast. But let’s also take a few moments to acknowledge our debt to Jesus Christ, whose birthday we are celebrating. Some might ask, what debt? Answering that question requires that we take a look at the history of our species and how one aspect of Jesus Christ’s teachings may have dramatically changed the world.
Genetic and archaeological evidence tells us the human species originated in Africa around 200,000 years ago. If you had been born in the first 198,000 years of the species’ existence, your life expectancy on average would have been a mere 20 to 30 years. Granted, that number is skewed by infant mortality rates of about 50 deaths for every 1,000 births. In any case, you would have to have been rather lucky if you had lived long enough to meet your grandchildren. Most likely, your life would have been one of mere subsistence, and you would have had little if any control over your own destiny. As for human rights… no such thing.
The progress the species made in those 2,000 years—much of it in the last two centuries—was unprecedented.
If we were to graph the progress in terms of survival potential of human beings over the 200,000 years of the species’ existence, the first 198,000 years would be represented by an all but flat line, meeting with a hockey stick shaped upswing, representing the most recent 2,000 years. The progress the species made in those 2,000 years—much of it in the last two centuries—was unprecedented.
By way of example:
Technological progress in agriculture, medicine, transportation, communication and other fields significantly enhanced our quality of life and the ability of societies to thrive.
Scientific discoveries and breakthroughs in medicine, sanitation and nutrition, resulting in far better overall health, increased life expectancy (70 to 80 years) and far lower infant mortality rates (about 5 deaths in every 1,000 births).
Social and political changes in governance, legal systems, human rights and social policies, dramatically improved living conditions for common folk.
Cultural and intellectual achievements in literature, philosophy and art added richness to the experience of being human.
And so much more…
We recognize this spectacular growth as our “Judeo-Christian heritage.” But what was it specifically that sparked such dramatic change after 198,000 years of relative stagnation?
My thesis is it was Jesus Christ’s introduction of the idea there was a spiritual side to our existence—that there was more to us than mere flesh and blood, and that we had a distinct relationship with a loving God.
While earlier religions suggested humans had a familial relationship with God, Jesus Christ presented the concept human beings were quite literally children of God.
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are.” —1 John 3:1
“This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name...’”
—Matthew 6:9-13
To conceive of how revolutionary that idea was to people of that age, put yourself in their place. You heard of this man, Jesus Christ. His then radical ideas rang true to you. You went from seeing yourself as being a notch or two above the beasts of burden to being a child of God. All at once you had real worth. Your life had new meaning and purpose. You had found your true self. Could there be a greater gift?
Was it the recognition of our spiritual side, prompted by the teachings of Jesus Christ that allowed us to pull ourselves out of the mud? You decide. But perhaps you’ve noticed that the further our culture moves away from spiritual values, the further it sinks back into that mud.
In this holiday season, let’s recognize Jesus Christ and the role Christianity has played in the spiritual evolution of our culture. At the same time, let’s affirm the value of all faiths and double down on our determination to protect our God-given right to freely practice our own.
