The Christmas Truce

I don't think there's anyone that hasn't heard of World War I. I don't know how many people have heard of the Christmas Armistice, though. It doesn't get nearly as much attention as the more grisly parts of World War I do, which is kind of sad. The story of the Christmas Truce is really a good one, and it's a shame it doesn't get told more often.

If you're interested, you can read more about the Christmas Armistice on Wikipedia or at Christmas Truce 1914, a site that's devoted to preserving a historical record of the truce. If you're too lazy to follow the link, the Christmas Armistice is exactly what the name implies it was: a brief armistice that occurred during 1914. Instead of fighting, soldiers on both sides took the time to celebrate Christmas with each other.

The other day, I came across a letter that was written by Private Frederick W. Heath, a British soldier who was fighting in France at the time of the Christmas Armistice. It's a well-written letter, and I thought I'd post a few snippets of what Private Heath had to say about the truce. If you want to read the full text of the letter, check out this link.

The night closed in early - the ghostly shadows that haunt the trenches came to keep us company as we stood to arms. Under a pale moon, one could just see the grave-like rise of ground which marked the German trenches two hundred yards away . . . .

Still looking and dreaming, my eyes caught a flare in the darkness. A light in the enemy's trenches was so rare at that hour that I passed a message down the line. I had hardly spoken when light after light sprang up along the German front.

Then quite near our dug-outs, so near as to make me start and clutch my rifle, I heard a voice. There was no mistaking that voice with its guttural ring. With ears strained, I listened, and then, all down our line of trenches there came to our ears a greeting unique in war: "English soldier, English solider, a merry Christmas, a merry Christmas!"

Following that salute boomed the invitation from those harsh voices: "Come out, English soldier; come out here to us." For some little time we were cautious, and did not even answer. Officers, fearing treachery, ordered the men to be silent. But up and down our line one heard the men answering that Christmas greeting from the enemy. How could we resist wishing each other a Merry Christmas . . . ?

The night wore on to dawn - a night made easier by songs from the German trenches, the pipings of piccolos and from our broad lines laughter and Christmas carols. Not a shot was fired . . . .

Came the dawn, pencilling the sky with grey and pink. Under the early light we saw our foes moving recklessly about on top of their trenches. Here, indeed, was courage; no seeking the security of the shelter but a brazen invitation to us to shoot and kill with deadly certainty.

But did we shoot? Not likely! We stood up ourselves and called benisons [benedictions] on the Germans. Then came the invitation to fall out of the trenches and meet halfway . . . . Jumping up onto the parapet, a few of us advanced to meet the on-coming Germans. Out went the hands and tightened in the grip of friendship. Christmas had made the bitterest foes friends.

Here was no desire to kill, but just the wish of a few simple soldiers (and no one is quite so simple as a soldier) that on Christmas day, at any rate, the force of fire should cease. We gave each other cigarettes and exchanged all manner of things. We wrote our names and addresses on the field service postcards, and exchanged them for German ones . . . .

All through the day no shot was fired, and all we did was talk to each other and make confessions which, perhaps, were truer at that curious moment than in the normal times of war . . . .

As I finish this short and scrappy description of a strangely human event, we are pouring rapid fire into the German trenches, and they are returning the compliment just as fiercely. Screeching through the air above us are shattering shells of rival batteries of artillery. So we are back once more to the ordeal of war.

*     *     *     *     *

Believe it or not, the story that Private Heath tells in his letter is a lot like the Christmas story. It might be difficult to see how a story about World War I has anything in common with shepherds, angels, and a manger, but there are quite a few similarities.

World War I was, well . . . a war. In Private Heath's case, the battle lines had been drawn between Germany and England. The armies of the two countries fought against each other because they were enemies. While the Christmas Truce was peaceful, the rest of the war wasn't. It was brutal, bloody, and grisly. It wasn't much fun. It was war, and war is hell.  

There was a war going on in the Christmas story as well. The battle lines had been drawn---not between warring nations, but between the perfect God and sinful mankind. As sinners, all men were enemies of God (Colossians 1:21) and slaves to sin (John 8:34). With each and every sinful, rebellious act, mankind fought against the God that created him.

In both stories, the fighting temporarily stopped when one side called a truce. In Private Heath's story, it was the German soldiers who initiated the armistice. By laying down their arms and wishing the Britons a merry Christmas, they demonstrated that their intentions were peaceful and good. As a result, the soldiers were able to enjoy a few days of peace and fellowship with one another.

In the Christmas story, it was God who called the truce. God knew that if He didn't initiate peace, the fighting would never end; blinded by sin, mankind was simply not capable of ending the hostilities on his own (Romans 3:11). By sending His Son to earth as an innocent, helpless baby, God demonstrated His good intentions. He loved the world, no matter how sinful, and wanted to bring about an end to the enmity between Himself and man. 

That's where the similarities end, though. When the German soldiers crossed no-man's land in Private Heath's story, they didn't know what to expect. Would the British troops shoot at them? Would they accept their Christmas greeting? In the same way, the Britons weren't sure what would happen either. Were the Germans being sincere? Or were they planning a clever trap?

The truce only occurred because both sides were uncertain of the outcome. If the Germans had known that the British wouldn't have welcomed them, they wouldn't have left the safety of their trenches. And if the British had known that the Germans were planning a trap, they wouldn't have wished their enemies a merry Christmas---they would have shot them.

In the Christmas story, on the other hand, God knew exactly what the outcome would be, and He knew that it wouldn't be pretty. God knew that mankind wouldn't accept His Son or the truce He offered, even though His intentions were good; He wasn't sending His Son to condemn the world, but rather to save it  (John 3:16, 17). 

Jesus knew from the beginning of time that the world He was coming to save would reject Him. He knew that the world He created wouldn't recognize Him and that His own people wouldn't receive Him (John 1:10, 11).

Jesus knew that His job on earth wasn't going to be easy. He knew that He wouldn't have a place to live (Luke 9:58), and He knew that people were going to be critical of everything He did (Matthew 9:11, 34; 12:2). He knew that His disciples---His closest friends---would abandon Him when He needed them the most (Matthew 16:56, 75).

Jesus knew that after spending thirty-some years on earth, the people He had come to save would kill Him. Jesus knew that He'd be flogged, beaten, mocked, humiliated, nailed to cross, and left to die like a common criminal (Isaiah 53). He even knew that the soldiers who crucified Him would cast lots for His clothing (Psalm 22:18).

Jesus knew all of these things, and much more. He knew exactly what was in store for Him once He left the safety of heaven. Jesus knew how many people would reject the truce He offered.

But He came anyway.

Wow. That's love.

That love---the unconditional, eternal, pure love that God has for each and every single person on this planet---is what Christmas is all about. It's about the kind of love that made Jesus come down to the earth He created as a little, helpless baby so that the enemies of God could finally have peace.

During the Christmas Armistice, the truce was temporary. The German and British soldiers were able to spend a few days in peace and fellowship before they began fighting again. The truce that Jesus established, however, lasts forever. All those who accept it are free from sin and are no longer enemies of God, but rather His friends.

So, you see, Christmas isn't about trees, or cookies, or nativity sets. It's not about fancy lights. It's not about mistletoe. It's not about Santa Claus, elves, or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Christmas is about so much more than that.

Christmas is all about love.

Share the love of God with everyone you meet this Christmas, and have a blessed holiday season!