The Tree vs. The Manger

 

A few years ago, I got into an argument with a Jewish coworker over Christmas Trees. For the record, I have nothing against Christmas Trees, as long as you don’t worship them. This argument was over what the tree represents. I see the tree as a festive decoration, rising in some cases to the level of art, and I love seeing the creativity that some people put into getting their Christmas Tree just right. But what I didn’t see back then was something symbolic of Christianity and it was this viewpoint that was the basis of the argument.

The argument started after I commented on a news article which described how a local high school rejected a request by students to set up a manger scene. The school allowed all religions (and non-religions) to set up holiday decorations representing their various points of view. A group of Christians wanted a manger scene but were told they could not have it because Christianity was already represented by the school’s Christmas Tree. In response the students asked if they could replace the tree and were told that this was not possible. I made a comment about the article, stating my belief that the tree was not a Christian symbol, to which my coworker informed me that I was wrong.

Well, I’ve done some research since that argument, and I see why my coworker disagreed with me. While the tree was originally used in pagan rituals, history shows that the church has embraced it with descriptions of how the tree and its decorations represent Jesus and the life He brings as well as the fact that He is light in the darkness. So, I will concede that there is a strong argument for the tree being a Christian symbol. However, I think that in arguing against this I missed the opportunity to point out to my coworker the most important issue at hand.

While one might argue that the Christmas Tree represents Christ, the manger scene, representing Jesus’ birth in very humble surroundings, does a better job of telling the real story. By choosing the tree over the manger, that high school chose a symbol with both Christian and secular meanings over what Christians truly believe, rejecting a true representation of what Christians celebrate on December 25^th (or January 6^th or 7^th for many Orthodox Christians). So even while understanding how the Christmas Tree might be a Christian symbol, the manger is the more important symbol, and I hope that one day it becomes what people think of first when they think of Christmas.

God, Please Tell Me What to Do

 

Do you ask God for instructions, or do you tell Him what you want to do?

Of all the questions Moses asked during His encounter with God at the burning bush, the one he asked in verse 13 may be the most important:

Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

Genesis 5:13 (NKJV)

God had revealed what He was calling Moses to do and then the Lord reassured Moses that He would be with him. In response, Moses is basically asking what he should do when he gets there. He knew that there would be questions if he just showed up, claiming to speak for God. The people of Israel were used to the polytheistic religion of the Egyptians, and I suspect there were a lot of people claiming to speak for various deities, including Pharaoh. Moses would have to identify the God whom he claimed to represent and so it made sense to ask God to give him the words he should say.

As followers of Christ, we are called to serve and sometimes that means saying the right thing. In those moments it is important that we recognize that we speak on behalf of our King and our words must be His. Like Moses, we need to ask God to give us the words He wants us to say. This should be a regular part of our prayer life and as we ask, we must trust that He, through His Holy Spirit, will speak through us if we surrender.

There are certain things that we should often ask of our God. Near the top of the list should be, “What should I say?” or “What should I do?” We have plenty of opportunities to serve our Heavenly Father and if we are to do it right, we must be willing to humble ourselves and ask Him to tell us what to do.

The Dexcom Stelo: A CGM on Your Terms

 

2025 started with a new health insurance company and with a denial of coverage for my use of a constant glucose monitor (CGM). This was unfortunate as I still believe that CGMs should be made available to everyone who has been diagnosed with diabetes and even those who fall into the pre-diabetes category. Well, Dexcom has come through with an over-the-counter CGM called the Stelo, which is approved by the FDA for people who are not on insulin. And just like the G7 and other prescription CGMs, the Stelo is another game changer.

I am using the Stelo for the first time and recently completed the 15-day period before needing to change to a second unit. That is one difference between the Stelo and the standard G7 as the latter last 10 days before needing to be changed. Dexcom does have a 15-day version of the G7 which just rolled out this month, and it should soon be readily available for people over the age of 18.

Both the Stelo and the G7 have a 12-hour grace period, giving a time cushion before they absolutely need to be changed but my first Stelo seemed to develop an intermittent problem during the grace period where it would stop taking readings. I’ll know in about two weeks if this is a common issue or if it was just an issue with that first unit.

Out of the box the Stelo looks just like the G7, using the same applicator and application method. The sensor even looks like a G7 sensor and the Stelo can send information to a smartphone just like its prescription cousin. While I did have to download a new app, I appreciate the fact that I can use my existing Dexcom account with the Stelo. As a result, it took less than five minutes to get things rolling and to start the warmup time that is common with Dexcom CGMs.

The graph generated by the Stelo looks just like the one in the G7 app but that is where the similarities end. Unlike the G7, the Stelo will not sound an alarm when your glucose levels go too high or too low. The Stelo is not compatible with insulin pumps, which I suspect is why it is not recommended for people who are on insulin. But the Stelo will give the information needed to help manage glucose levels, including summaries of trends that the software learns while you are wearing, letting you know if, for example, you have a spike at the same time each day. This allowed the Stelo to recognize that I tend to see a dawn phenomenon each morning which sometimes puts me near or even out of range.

I am a fan of wearables, and I believe that the health information made available by them is very valuable. They are not a substitute for the tests and advice received by a trained medical expert, but they are good tools for use in achieving the goals that come with living a healthy lifestyle. I’m glad to have returned to the ranks of those who wear CGMs and am thankful to Dexcom for moving the insurance company away from making health decisions for me, at least in this one area.