Feeding the New Believers with baby food - Concerning Christmas

In one of the home meetings, a family of new believers proposed that their family and the saints exchange Christmas gifts. When this suggestion was made, the saints simply smiled and tried to avoid the issue by turning the conversation to a hymn and a portion of the Word. The meeting ended without any further mention of Christmas. But a few days later, another reference was made to something of Christmas by one of the family members as the family was traveling to one of the meetings with the team. The family has been brought into the enjoyment and experience of the Lord on many occasions,yet the saints are somewhat concerned as to how to share with them concerning the celebration of Christmas without offending them.

In speaking with the new believers, you should never forget that they are babes and that they must be fed with baby food. When they raise a question concerning Christmas, you should use the subject of Christmas to feed them. You should not try to adjust them harshly, since this would not be treating them as babes. The nursing mothers not only feed their little ones, but they also cherish them by playing with them. To play with them is to cherish them. This cherishing makes them happy. Once they are cherished and feel happy, the mothers feed them. You must learn how to “play” with the new believers. Your aim in playing with them is to feed them; therefore, you should not become too occupied with the subject of Christmas. You may say in a tender and loving manner, “Christmas is here because of Christ. Without Christ, there would be no Christmasholiday. The story of Christmas began because Christ came to be our Savior. Although you may have a Christmas tree, you must make sure that you get Christ.” You should gradually turn them from the false things of Christmas to the reality of Christ. As you turn them to Christ, saying something about Christ, spontaneously you are injecting them with Christ. Eventually, through this kind of tender fellowship, they will feel happy that they know something about the real meaning of Christmas, and soon they will forget about exchanging Christmas gifts. You should exercise your patience and wisdom, but you should not forget your goal of ministering Christ into the new believers as their nourishment.

The year I got saved, I learned that Christmas was a falsehood. I began to fight with anyone who held on to something of Christmas. That was wrong. Gradually, I have learned to “play” with the spiritual babes. We all have to learn this secret. In the Western world, there is the problem of the Christmas celebration, but in the Far East, especially in China, there is the problem of the traditional feasts which occur three times a year. It is difficult for the young believers to overcome these feasts and celebrations, but with the Lord’s help, we can help them by applying the principle which I have presented here.

This portion was taken from the book called (The Exercise and Practice of the God-Ordained Way, Chapter 22, Section 2) by Bro Witness lee