Even in our small church there are quite a few birthdays in June–including one this past Friday (Happy Birthday Winslow!) As such, it has got me thinking...

Have you ever wondered, as people who worship and only serve God (Luke 4:8), if we should actually celebrate birthdays?  Jehovah Witnesses consider it a no-no, claiming that "early Christians did not celebrate birthdays" and that "the custom of celebrating birthdays comes from ancient false religions."¹ Are they right?  Does it make sense to celebrate anyone’s birth considering we believe every human is totally depraved?:

"None is righteous, no, not one;

And as anyone who has spent time with Scripture knows...there are plenty of other quotes to remind us that "no one is good except God alone" (Mark 10:18) and that our "heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)  Who are we to argue with Bildad, sounding like preachers through the ages, who noted, "...[H]ow much less man, who is a maggot, and the son of man, who is a worm!"? (Job 25:6)

Feel small enough yet?

Although I think it is important that we realize just how "totally depraved" we are, I cannot help but think that if we stop here we will end up with a picture of God that is terribly incomplete–and one that contradicts what Jesus–God incarnate–taught through action.  While He was on the earth Jesus was a man of the people; He attended weddings (John 2:1-12), ate at people’s houses (Luke 19:1-10), and appears to have celebrated man-made holidays (John 10:22-23–the "Feast of Dedication" is Hanukkah).  Considering He was accused of being "a friend of tax collectors and sinners" because He "came eating and drinking" (Matthew 11:19), it is difficult to believe that if He was here today He would not wish Winslow a happy birthday. For that matter, would not the person who said to "let the little children come to me and not hinder them" (Matthew 19:14) be likely to attend Augie’s birthday party in August–even if Augie was not the cutest little person in the world? :-)

No, we are not maggots to God, we are adopted children who can cry, "Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15)  The same Father who is pictured as throwing a party for his prodigal son to celebrate his return (Luke 15:11-32) was no less excited when you turned away from you sins, were baptized, and joined His church–"[T]here is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents" (Luke 15:10).

Ultimately the Bible never clearly says one way or another, but I feel confident that if Jesus walked with us today He not only would have no problem with us commemorating births–He probably would be singing "Happy Birthday" and eating cake and ice cream with us. :-)

¹http://www.watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm

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