Maybe Advent isn’t about defending Christmas loudly, but living it deeply — with justice, compassion, and courage.

So I’m asking:
Am I afraid Christ is being taken out of Christmas… or am I losing Christmas within myself?

Christ is still showing up — if we have eyes to see.

Even the Church of England has said the idea of Christ being pushed out is simply not true — the story is still front and centre in public life.

Some want to “save Christmas” but seem to reject the truth that Jesus, Mary & Joseph were migrants seeking safety.

So this week I’m wondering:

What would change if we loved so well that no one ever had to ask, “Does anybody hear me?” again?

Jesus never turned away the hurting or the uncertain. He welcomed before He corrected, loved before He taught, and noticed those that everyone else overlooked. If the church is to reflect Him, love must be our first language.

It leaves me with a searching question:

Have I, even without meaning to, excluded or pushed someone away? Who have I failed to see?

It brought to mind the Casting Crowns song “Does Anybody Hear Her?” — the haunting picture of someone walking away because no one noticed her pain.

It reminded me of Faith for Exiles, where Kinnaman and Matlock found that young people stay connected to faith when they experience real belonging — places where they feel known, safe, and loved.

And maybe that’s the challenge for me as a Christian: perhaps I don’t truly have “free speech.” My words, writings, and actions aren’t just mine—they’re part of my witness. They’re meant to reflect Christ.

💭 So maybe the better question for this season is:
What would Jesus say—through me—today?

What I don’t see in Jesus’ example is the use of words to ridicule or diminish others. Instead, His speech was marked by truth, grace, and compassion.

But Jesus didn’t just teach about words. He used His words to lift up the overlooked: children, women, the poor, the sick, sinners, and the oppressed. He defended the vulnerable and gave dignity to the devalued.

• Words reveal the heart (Matt. 12:34; Luke 6:45).
• We will give account for careless words (Matt. 12:36).
• Bless, don’t curse (Luke 6:28).
• Let your yes mean yes (Matt. 5:37).

In short: speech matters. It can heal or harm, build up or tear down—and it always reveals what’s inside us.

Lately, I’ve been wondering if another question might be just as important:
👉 What Would Jesus Say?

Not the words of a pocket-sized Jesus that I’ve been taking picture of recently, but the real Jesus we meet in the Gospels.

Jesus spoke often about the power of words: