The Christmas Tree Hierarchy
By Joe Caruso · December 11, 2024
One of the traditions I enjoy each Christmas is putting the ornaments on our Christmas tree. Years ago our whole family participated but now that the kids have grown, my wife and I usually take the time to decorate the tree ourselves.
It struck me this year that our Christmas tree, with its triangular shape, represents a hierarchy of sorts. While all the ornaments are important, to make our tree complete, they don’t all have the same value. Certain ornaments are prominently placed higher up the tree so they’re easy to see, while others hang on the lower branches, they’re still important but without the same value.
The Ornaments: A Reflection of All We Value
If your tree is anything like ours, the ornaments you hang represent many of your values. We have ornaments for special occasions, such as a baby’s first Christmas, our wedding anniversary or the turn of the century. Others remind us of holiday destinations or places we’ve worked. We have ornaments with sentimental value, such as handmade ornaments from our children or ones passed down through the generations. Then we have various filler ornaments such as apples, beads and icicles to add to our tree’s fullness.
The Star: The Guiding Light to Our Highest Value
Finally at the top of our tree sits our star, a 50-cent silver star we purchased over 35 years ago. It shines over the rest of the ornaments as a guiding light declaring that Jesus is King.
In the Christmas story, the star played an important role. It shone in the sky to point to the place where Jesus, the Saviour had been born. The star served as the guide, directing the Magi to Jesus so they could worship him.
The Magi were most likely priests or scholars, skilled at using the stars to guide them on their journeys. They could make their way through the darkness and over uncharted territories by focusing on the stars to guide their way.
When the Magi arrived at their destination they worshiped Jesus and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. These gifts represented Jesus’ unique identity as our divine King who would die to take away the sins of the world.
Like any hierarchy, what’s placed at the top represents what’s most important. With the star placed on the top of our tree, we are reminded that Jesus is the reason for the season. Although there are many important things we value, it is Jesus who is placed above them all.
By placing Jesus at the top, everything else will be subject to him. Like the star, which gave direction to the Magi, Jesus will give direction to everything in our life if we place it under him. When we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus the Bible says He will make our paths strait.
There’s peace in knowing our values are placed in their proper order. Maybe that’s part of what makes the Christmas tree so comforting to look at. It represents all we value, properly organized with Jesus at the top. It’s an ideal we daily strive for in both practice and prayer. An ideal, that with Jesus’ guidance and direction, we can move towards, as we keep our eyes on him.
I hope you experience both love and joy this Christmas as you celebrate with those you care about. But most of all may you reflect on the love Jesus has for you. Like the Magi, I hope you seek Jesus and give him his rightful position at the top of your hierarchy. May he reign over everything you value. Have a Merry Christmas!
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