There’s something about Christmas that makes us tidy up. We clear clutter, straighten pictures on the wall, maybe even sweep out a corner that’s been ignored all year. We do it to make room—for guests, for celebration, for something new.
But if we’re honest, the places that need the most cleaning aren’t in our homes. They’re in our hearts.
The birth of Jesus came at a time when the world was crowded with guilt, fear, and broken promises. God didn’t wait for humanity to get its act together before sending a Savior. He sent His Son right into the mess. A stable. A manger. The smell of farm animals permeates the air. Straw on the floor. No pretense. No perfection.
That alone tells us something important: forgiveness and renewal don’t begin when we’re cleaned up. They begin when we come as we are.
“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
—Matthew 1:21
The name Jesus literally means “The Lord saves.” From His very first breath, His mission was forgiveness. Christmas is not just about a baby being born; it’s about our sins being forgiven and our lives being made new.
Many of us carry old hurts into the Christmas season. Words spoken long ago. Relationships strained or broken. Regrets that resurface when things get quiet. Like stubborn stains, we’ve tried to scrub them out ourselves—with excuses, distractions, or time—but they remain.
Jesus came to do what we cannot.
Forgiveness is the first gift He offers, and it’s one He asks us to pass along. Not because the other person deserves it, but because unforgiveness keeps our hearts crowded. And a crowded heart has little room for joy, peace, or renewal.
Paul reminds us:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
—2 Corinthians 5:17
That’s the promise of Christmas renewal. The old doesn’t have to define us anymore. Yesterday’s failures don’t get the final word. In Christ, we are invited to start again—clean slate, fresh heart, new direction.
As we celebrate the birth of our Savior, maybe the most faithful thing we can do is let go. Forgive someone who hurt us. Accept the forgiveness Christ freely offers. Lay down the burdens we were never meant to carry.
There may not have been much room in Bethlehem that night, but there is plenty of room in Christ—for forgiveness, for healing, and for you.
May this Christmas be more than a memory. May it be a turning point. A moment of renewal. And a reminder that the greatest gift under the tree is the grace that changes everything.
Come, Lord Jesus. And make us new.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
