Sign

I had to ask, what does a sign do? A sign outside a shop or town will tell you where you are. There are signs on roads that tell you how far it is to the next destination. There are billboard signs that tell you all about places to visit. The speed limit sign reminds you of your legal obligation.

While I was doing my Christmas shopping this year I decided to buy a new wreath for our front door. I found myself asking why we use these things as decorations for Christmas. Mr google was helpful here, In part it told me that - “In ancient Rome, people used decorative wreaths as a sign of victory. Some believe that this is where the hanging of wreaths on doors came from.” And that “The origins of the Advent wreath are found in the folk practices of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples who, during the cold December darkness of Eastern Europe, gathered wreaths of evergreen and lighted fires as signs of hope in a coming spring and renewed light. Christians kept these popular traditions alive, and by the 16th century Catholics and Protestants throughout Germany used these symbols to celebrate their Advent hope in Christ, the everlasting Light.”

So I am happy to hang my wreath on my door even if it does have “bows” instead of candles. In my mind the bows can represent the wrapping of a gift or even ribbons given as prizes for winning. It reminds me that God gave us the very best gift two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ, who not only showed us how to live but rose victorious after His death on the cross so that we can have the hope of eternal life. Of course the best sign to read is the bible. It does all the things that signs do.