Annually, the Christmas season stretches into the new year, and as we enter it we may be wondering if we will rise or will we fall. In one of the stories of Christmas which is often overlooked, Simeon tells us that Jesus was appointed for the fall and rising of many. What did that mean and what does Jesus have to do with our ultimate fall or rise? Simeon was also described as righteous and devout. As we see in the what took place surrounding the presentation of Jesus as a child at the Temple, this was true not only of Simeon but others present that day. Still, righteous dealings and religious devotion do not determine who rises or falls. Rather, such external behavior can accompany either the reception or the opposition revealed in our hearts to the salvation God prepared and provided us. Our devotion needs to be for the right reason.