Most people never learn how to really live. They’re just existing.

Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness” (GNT). He came at Christmas to give us three kinds of life that take care of our past, our present, and our future.

First, Jesus came to give new life. That means everything we’ve ever done wrong is completely forgiven and forgotten. He wipes the slate clean!

When someone says they’re “born again,” that just means Jesus gave them a fresh start in life. If you step across the line and accept God’s grace and ask him to forgive you, then you don’t need to feel guilty about your past. You get new life.

Second, Jesus came to give abundant life. You were made for more than survival, success, or earthly significance. You were made for a life of purpose. Jesus calls it abundant life—a life where your values and your meaning and your significance all come together. That’s the life that God meant for you to live.

Third, Jesus came to give eternal life. God will take care of your past, your present, and your future. That’s his Christmas gift to you in Jesus Christ.

I once asked Peter Drucker, the famous management consultant, when he decided to become a believer. He said, “When I discovered what grace was really all about, when I fully understood it, I realized I was never going to get a better deal, and I opened my life to Christ.”

At the first Christmas, the Wise Men saw a bright star shining in the sky and followed it to find the baby Jesus. But the Wise Men weren’t the only people who saw it. Everybody would have seen the star—but nobody else did anything about it. The Wise Men were wise because they knew that following the star would lead to the greatest gift.

How wise are you? It’s one thing to know Jesus is the Light of the World. It’s another thing to let him light up your life.

Just like you cannot live without the light of the sun, you cannot live without spiritual light. Open up to the light of Christ, and you’ll find new, abundant, and eternal life.