During World War I, on Christmas Eve of 1914, something extraordinary happened along the Western Front. Amid the chaos of war, soldiers from both sides, enemies by every measure, put down their weapons and began to sing Christmas carols together. This spontaneous truce began in some places with the exchange of simple greetings and grew into a celebration of the season: soldiers shared food, exchanged gifts, and even played soccer together.
This act of hospitality was not about ending the war in its entirety, but about creating a space for peace and restoration in the midst of violence. It was a moment where the love of Christ broke through, reminding everyone involved that humanity and kindness still had a place, even in the most dire of circumstances.
The Christmas Truce of 1914 echoes the kind of love that moves first, sacrifices, and restores. It was a moment where enemies became neighbors, where the walls of division were temporarily torn down. In the same way, Advent calls us to step into brokenness with the love of Christ, not just to reflect on His birth, but to live out the transformative, reconciling love He brings to the world. This was the vision of the Kingdom of God - a Right-Side-Up Kingdom which we are invited to participate in as citizens under Christ. This week, we focus on the Advent theme of love as we continue to explore the divine invitation to participate in Christ this season.
Love that Forms Us
Advent love doesn’t just happen to us; it forms us. Spiritual formation begins with the reality of God’s love transforming our hearts. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). In the Beatitudes, Jesus invites us to live into the rhythms of the right-side-up kingdom, where love calls us to humility, dependence, and openness to God.
Advent is a time to ask: How is God’s love forming us? Are we open to the Spirit’s work of shaping us into people who reflect His kingdom? Am I able to put down my weapons and seek the humanity in others as an object of love, rather than an enemy to be overcome?
But where do I begin?
Love that Moves First
Advent love begins with God’s initiative. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19). In a world bent on earning love through performance or status, God’s love breaks through as a gift. Jesus’ birth in a manger is not just humility on display; it is love taking the first step. God moved toward humanity while we were still broken, still distant, still rebellious. This is the essence of Advent love: it is proactive, not reactive. It makes the first move, even when the other side doesn’t deserve it.
In the right-side-up kingdom, love doesn’t wait for others to be worthy of it. It doesn’t hold back, waiting for the perfect moment. Instead, love crosses boundaries, moves toward enemies, and lays itself down. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Advent invites us to step toward others with mercy, reflecting the God who moved first toward us.
Love that Sacrifices
The love of the kingdom is costly. Advent love is not sentimental or superficial; it is sacrificial. The manger points to the cross, where Jesus would give His life as the ultimate act of love. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13).
In the upside-down systems of the world, love is often transactional. We give to get. We protect ourselves from vulnerability, afraid of being hurt or taken advantage of. But the love of God’s kingdom flips this on its head. It gives freely, without expecting anything in return. It risks rejection, misunderstanding, and pain for the sake of the other.
Advent calls us to reflect this kind of love. As we celebrate the God who sacrificed everything to restore us, we are invited to love sacrificially. This might look like forgiving someone who’s wronged us, extending kindness to someone difficult to love, or giving generously to meet a need. True love costs something, but in the right-side-up kingdom, it is always worth the price. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Love calls us to make peace, even when it requires personal sacrifice.
Love that Restores
The Christmas Truce of 1914 wasn’t just about a ceasefire for one night; it was about creating a future. Advent love is the same. It seeks to heal what is broken, to bring life where there is death, and to reconcile what has been torn apart. Jesus’ ministry was one of restoration. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and forgave sinners. But more than that, He restored people’s dignity. He saw those whom society had cast aside and called them beloved. Advent love invites us to do the same. In a world that often dehumanizes and divides, love calls us to build bridges, not walls. It calls us to see the image of God in every person and to work toward their flourishing.
This restorative love is not just for individuals; it is for communities and systems. The right-side-up kingdom challenges us to confront injustice, to care for the marginalized, and to seek peace in places of conflict. Advent reminds us that the love of Christ is not passive; it is active, bringing hope and healing to a world in desperate need. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Advent love aligns us with God’s mission to restore and make things right.
An Invitation to Participate
As we reflect on the Christmas Truce of 1914, we are reminded that Advent love is not merely a concept to be admired, but a reality to be lived. In a world filled with division, strife, and brokenness, the love of Christ calls us to step into the gap—offering reconciliation, forgiveness, and peace, not just for a moment, but as a way of life. Love that forms us, moves first, sacrifices, and restores is the heartbeat of the Kingdom of God. This is the right-side-up kingdom where mercy flows freely, walls are torn down, and the transformative love of Christ has the power to heal, rebuild, and create a new future.
Advent invites us to not only celebrate the love that came down at Christmas but to live it out in our everyday lives. As we reflect on how God's love has shaped us, let us also consider how we are called to reflect that love to the world around us. Whether it’s extending mercy to an enemy, sacrificing for the sake of another, or working toward restoration in our communities, the love of Christ invites us into the active, redemptive work of making all things right. As citizens of God’s Kingdom, we are called to participate in this divine invitation—living out the love that forms, moves, sacrifices, and restores, bringing the reality of Advent love to a world in desperate need.
Merry Christmas, friends. May this Advent season be marked by Christ's love for you.
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