Combating Cynicism at Christmas
Jim Daly
Focus on the Family
A weekly advice column written by Jim Daly, Focus on the Family draws upon a deep, abiding Christian faith to help heal broken marriages and troubled families, built on a foundation of “the power of hope and second chances.” Focus on the Family’s sound, Christian guidance gives readers helpful answers on how to navigate a steady path in an uncertain world.
Q: I want to say that I'm feeling cynical about Christmas and all the feel-good messaging. Just look around us! This world is getting worse all the time. Wars between nations, racial issues, political differences, even next-door neighbors at each other's throats — I'm starting to believe that "goodwill among men" is completely unrealistic. How can you actually believe all that?
Jim: I suppose I'd start by saying that if we're left to our own human devices, I might agree with you — at least to a point. We've got plenty of evidence to show that mankind's default behavior is self-centered conflict. That's because every person, no matter how good we might appear to be on the outside, was born with something rotten at our core. No matter what moral standard you want to apply, all of us fall short on our own. We see it in the way we treat each other. And if we're really honest with ourselves, we see it in our own eyes when we look in the mirror.
You're right: It's easy to become cynical about people when every headline, news clip or social media post just seems to add to the chaos and conflict. And to be truthful, I think cynicism takes us even further into the darkness. As a result, most of us — at some level — find ourselves living in fear of some sort.
But here's the key: As a Christian, I personally believe we were created for something different. True, we're NOT able to live the way we should — and treat each other as we all know we ought — without a thorough soul-cleansing that has to come from a source that's bigger than we are. Simply put, we can't fix ourselves ... no matter how hard we try.
Don't miss the context for the heavenly choir of angels singing "peace on earth, goodwill among men." The crucial setup was the angelic spokesman saying: "A Savior is born." A Savior is necessary because we all need saving — from ourselves and the evil inside us.
The story of Christmas isn't about a small group of humans getting warm fuzzies by looking at a newborn baby ... and thus feeling better about themselves and liking other people just a little bit more. Rather, it's about the creator of the universe looking down on our broken world, seeing what a mess we've made of it, and stepping down INTO the chaos to fix it all by fixing us. The solution is to recognize and acknowledge who the baby in the manger actually is — and then turning over all of our cares and fears and failures to him.
So, yes — I really DO believe the Christmas narrative. But it's far more than just what happened one night in Bethlehem. It's about the baby, who he grew up to be, what he did to save us and the change he can make in human hearts. And I believe that those of us who accept that message can experience changed hearts so that we CAN live in peace.
Sure, not everyone will reciprocate or agree with my point of view. But when we see every human being as equally valuable, specially created in the image of the one who designs us as unique individuals, it dramatically changes our perspective. And then, even if we don't agree on everything — or even most things — we can respect each other and come closer to living in peace.
If you want to know more, I'd humbly invite you to visit us at FocusOnTheFamily.com. Meanwhile, I pray that you and your loved ones experience the peace that comes from knowing the Savior born that night in Bethlehem. Merry Christmas.
Jim Daly is a husband and father, an author and president of Focus on the Family. He is also the host of the Focus on the Family radio program. Catch up with him at jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com or at Facebook.com/JimDalyFocus.
Distributed by Andrews McMeel Syndication. Copyright © 2025. Used with permission.