By Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon
Christians have celebrated the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ for nearly two thousand years. The image of a baby boy, the Son of God, laid in a manger, visited by shepherds and heralded by angels, has left an indelible impression on cultures throughout the world. While some mistakenly apply the lessons of the Christmas story to advance left-wing values (no, the Holy Family were not “refugees” because they moved from Bethlehem to Egypt and then home to Nazareth—all regions controlled by the same Roman Empire), I do think there are meaningful applications we can make.
First, Jesus came to save all people, not only those with power or wealth. Not only was He born in a small town and laid in a manger because the inn was full, but angels announced His birth to shepherds, not kings. King Herod didn’t even hear of the event until later, when the wise men came knocking on his door. All people—from billionaires to paupers, from political leaders to blue-collar workers, from centenarians to the unborn—are human beings with dignity, loved by God.
The Gospel of Luke records Mary, pregnant with our Lord, visiting her cousin Elizabeth, who was herself pregnant with her unborn baby, John the Baptist. Elizabeth tells Mary that when she heard her greeting, the baby in her womb leaped for joy. What a reminder of the personhood of the unborn—that babies are made in the image of God from the moment of conception.
When the wise men from the east visited Jesus in Bethlehem, they brought gifts—a precursor to our tradition of exchanging gifts on Christmas morning. What was the first gift? Why, gold, of course. When the wise men wanted to honor the infant Christ with something of value, they did not give Him fiat currency or goods that would eventually crumble and decay. They gave Him a precious metal—something that would hold its value no matter the circumstances.
If someone gave you a gift of $100 cash for Christmas five years ago, it would have already lost a quarter of its value due to inflation. If someone gave you gold instead, it would have more than doubled in value.
The wise men knew what they were doing!
Perhaps the most important lesson of the Christmas story is that there is always hope, even when everything seems hopeless. The Gospel of Luke tells of Simeon, an old man who waited his entire life to see the Messiah. When he finally saw the infant Jesus at the temple, he could depart in peace.
Today, we celebrate the day hope entered the world, and we resolve to carry that hope into the year to come. Merry Christmas, and may God bless you, each and every one.
About Dorothy Moon
Dorothy Moon was elected to serve as the chairwoman of the Idaho Republican Party in July of 2022, and reelected in 2024. Moon served three terms in the Idaho Legislature as State Representative for District 8. Moon’s career in public service has focused on the advancement of individual liberties and reducing the size and scope of government.
