We’re in the midst of a series looking at the lyrics to the song “A Song and a Christmas Tree” (Andy Williams’ spin on “Twelve Days of Christmas”). You can take each of the twelve gifts given in the song and find spiritual application.

The eighth gift given is “gold and silver tinsel.” And if you’ve enjoyed Christmas in the United States anytime between 1964-2016 you can probably guess where I’m going with this.

Take it away, Burl!

As the song ponders, what’s a Christmas tree that’s not lined with two of the most valuable commodities on planet earth. When you put it that way, it does seem a bit like overkill, doesn’t it? And while I suppose there are some out there who decorate their trees with gold and silver because they want to show off the value of the tree, the more common reason is because “it looks pretty when the twinkling lights shine on them.”

Your Bible says a lot about silver and gold. For those who cherish the worldly value of such things the Bible warns that the love of money will condemn your soul. On the other hand, for those who put God first, Heaven awaits. A joyful, faithful, eternal life with Jesus is described as living in a kingdom whose streets are paved with gold (Revelation 21:21). Don’t get distracted trying to picture such a sight; that misses the point: The point is that the kingdom of Christ is so majestic, so spectacular, so rich with the blessings of God that gold—the commodity men of the world value most—is the pavement we tread over. Gold is God’s asphalt.

So think about that the next time you string some tinsel of gold and silver on your Christmas tree. It’s pretty to look at, but the riches of Jesus far outweigh it!