It seems that the season of Christmas isn't dissimilar from a Pokémon. It evolves. Since my childhood, I've always known the 'true reason for the season.' I've never had too much trouble differentiating between the consumer delights versus the longest nights. However, the more I think back on the old days of Christmas as a nerdy kid the more I realize that - to be honest - nerds understand the true meaning of Christmas pretty quickly.
One of the biggest threats I find myself combatting as a nerd pastor is the unfortunate bias that nerds, geeks, and gamers are hermits. While your favorite nerd may seem to be secluding themselves away from society, the truth is that nerds are starving for people who share their passions. I thought that Checkpoint was tapping into this idea for the first time, but the truth is that nerds have been suckers for community all along.
Let's take it back to 2003. That was the Christmas where I got the Nintendo Gamecube. Not to mention I also got my first ever television for my room! It was a huge year for Santa. I got two games: Tak and the Power of Juju and Pokémon Channel. Tak is a fine game (at best). And Pokémon Channel is downright notorious for being terrible. Even still, I was elated to be able to share with my friends at school what channels I had unlocked or what boss I had just beat in Tak. The point of the process wasn't just playing the game - it was sharing the story with those around me.
Whether you are a collector, gamer, or something else, the gift of having a passion is in sharing it. It's the reason that Twitch exists. It's the reason Con culture exists. The nerds understand at a core level that it is less about giving and receiving anything at Christmas. So, take notes, non-nerds. It's not about the stuff, the giving, or the receiving. It's about the why behind the what. - it's about sharing the light of that which we are passionate about... a passion fueled by a creative Christ. This Christmas, get nerdy.
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