Christmas raises all sorts of issues to do with our lives, our families and our faith. Many of these issues are touched on by films. The issue of community is right at the heart of Christmas with the Kranks, a feel-good film based on John Grisham’s book Skipping Christmas.
The story is of Luther and Nora Krank, played by Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, who, having got their only daughter off their hands, decide to skip the Christmas celebrations that they and their neighbours are used to and, instead, go on a Caribbean cruise.
However, their community is appalled at this breach of tradition and the neighbours express their hostility in all sorts of ways.
At the last minute, the Kranks are suddenly forced to change their mind and realise that they desperately need to celebrate Christmas with all the decorations, food and drink. How does the community react? Well it responds with kindness, love and generosity towards them.
That outbreak of grace by the neighbours is reciprocated by an act of forgiveness and kindness by Luther to someone who has been his enemy.
The film, following the book, is pointing out the fact that God is not impressed by how extravagantly we celebrate religious festivals or how dedicated we are to carrying them out. Knowing John Grisham’s firm Christian faith, I can’t help but wonder whether these words from Amos were in his mind when he wrote the book:
‘I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them . . . I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!’ (Amos 5:21-24 NIV)
It’s a useful reminder that the validity of any religious faith we might have is not demonstrated in the brightness of our Christmas lights, the height of our tree or the number of Christmas cards we send out, but in how we live out God’s grace in our lives.
