goodwill toward men...

Have you noticed that during the Christmas season people seem to say nicer things? Like...every check out line I go through the cashier will say "happy holidays" or "merry Christmas" or "have a nice Christmas"..
But do you wonder have they just been programmed to say those things? I can see the memo in the Best Buy employee lounge dictating to the employees exactly what to say...and when to go from "have a nice day" to "happy holidays"...as if it will form some bond between me and them and keep me loyal to their store and products....I don't know they say the same things over at Circuit City?
However, today I went through a line at Target and a young man (probably 20 at most) looked me right in the eye from behind the register and wished me a Happy Christmas and I could tell he really meant it. I said something to him about his emotion and tone and complemented him on his sincerity...he was taken back....and then said these words to me which have had me thinking quite a lot....he said - the angels sang "peace on earth, goodwill to men" just prior to the birth of Christ - then he said that Jesus didn't come just to change our Decembers...but to change our lives. He went on to say "goodwill toward men"...genuine goodwill....that's an everyday decision (not just in December) made by a person whose life has been changed by the coming of Jesus...changed by Christmas! I simply agreed...and left pondering his profound words.
think about that...