“All things came into being through him, and without him, not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” -John 1:3-5 On this Christmas Day, Christians a cross the nation and around the world celebrate the arrival of the baby Jesus in the most humble circumstances possible. The “light of all people” was born in a barn and laid in a feeding trough in as plain and unpretentious an event as any in history. There could be no lies or deception in such a place — no ignoring up the presence of livestock or the chill of the night in the Judean mountains. There was only the plain truth. Jesus stated “the truth will set you free.” The light shining in the darkness — “the true light, which enlightens everyone,” as St. John put it — is something the world needs because the belief in Christ is also a belief many non-Christians share: that ultimately truth will prevail. Truth often hurts — one reason so many reject it, even in Jesus’ time and even to his face. But the truth can also heal. Usually, healing cannot take place without it. Our nation finds itself in some very truth-challenged times. Contemporary politicians with extreme and rigid ideologies, on both sides of the political divide, have acquired positions of power and influence and, in some cases, strayed about as far as one can get from the truth. In the name of anti-racism, some have gone so far as embracing new twists on racism that wholeheartedly attempt to indoctrinate American children that they live in an irredeemable country where salvation comes from being born into the right victim class. They now seek to judge people solely by the color of their skin, in direct contravention of that famous Christian minister — Martin Luther King Jr. — who used Christian doctrine to encourage a world in which all would be judged by the content of character, not the color of skin. In the name of climate alarmism, some now seek to lower living standards for the world’s poorest — including Coloradans with the highest utility bills and the lowest household incomes. Politicians who forget the message and spirit of Christmas embrace evil foreign regimes — including slave-holding countries — for sinister gain. None of this bodes hope for a better future. Jesus said we would always live in a troubled world. His more than 2.2 billion followers — and others who respect him as a prophet — know love conquers hate. By overcoming darkness, light exposes the truth. “In this world, you will have trouble,” Jesus said as the time of his execution approached. “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Indeed, how could the light shine in the darkness if there were not so much darkness in which to shine?  Happy Christmas. Celebrate knowing kindness, truth, love and light; it will always lead to better days. ...read more read less