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Our Christmas season is over unless of course you are Orthodox, then it will be over January 7th! Before making plans and goals for the New Year, I wanted to discuss something very peculiar I observed over these Holidays in particular. I call this phenomenon the Effect-Effect. The Effect-Effect is a continuing emphasis on the effects, results, and blessings that result from a cause without actually describing the cause.

For example, in a Christmas message I heard, the pastor spoke continually about counting our blessings. We have to count our blessings because everyone will have to “bow their knee”. He even had an ornament with Santa bowing to Jesus in the Manger. The message was clear. We have food, heat, a Christmas tree, a roof over our heads, so we should count our blessings and be thankful. It’s as if we’d better bow our knee before God puts us over His knee. This approach could be called moral carping. I’m sure the several hundred visitors were impressed.

It seems to me that a more God glorifying approach might be to focus on the Cause first. So, lets talk about Jesus coming in the flesh. Lets talk about our Spirit-God entering time and space as one of us to save all of us. As we focus on the Cause-Christ our natural response is to be eternally grateful and thankful. I like to call this approach the Cause-Effect.

By focusing on the Cause – Jesus, we automatically get the Effect – Thankfulness. This is the age-old message given us by the Apostle Paul – “For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). So, as we begin this New Year, lets learn from Paul. Let us not preach or teach effects to people without the cause. It doesn’t glorify God and you don’t get the “Effect” you are hoping for!!