I am going to sit on my anti-santa soapbox today. Last year we decided to tell Jeremiah and Maiesha that santa claus is not real. We told them that their Christmas gifts come from us and other family members and that santa is a fun way to pretend, but he is make believe just like their favorite characters from tv and movies. They seemed to accept the news in stride, and mostly wanted to know that they would, in fact, still receive gifts at Christmas time. We reassured them that we would always give them gifts.
All year long they took a little joy in telling adults that santa is not really. It is like they had been let in on the secret and they want to brag about it. (Don't worry...we also told them not to tell other kids becuase not everyone knows and it not their job to tell.) At school, however, Maiesha's teacher must have read a book about santa and being on his naughty or nice list. She has been extra emotional lately, especially when she is tired, and she got really upset last Saturday while we were riding in the car. She was upset because she thought she was not going to get any gifts because she had not been a "good girl" this year. Her teacher SAID she would get rocks for Christmas if she was not good. (I think she was referring to coal, but rocks work too.) I was not at all upset with her teacher for telling the story, but I quickly squashed her fears that her receiving any gifts at Christmas was conditional on how "good" she had been this year.
This brings me to my soapbox. Our culture has built this expectation on earning gifts from santa by being more good than bad all year. If we even just finish the year well, or do something really selfless right before Christmas, we can get onto santa's nice list and ensure we get lots of good presents. This is in complete opposition to the REAL reason we celebrate Christmas.
God, in his perfect love for his creation, sent his Son, Jesus, to this world in human form to be the ultimate gift of salvation for all who believe in him. We are all on the "naughty list" if you really think about it. Jesus is the ONLY way we can can experience God's mercy and grace and live forever with Him.
Colossians 1: 15-23 (NIRV) says,
"Christ is the exact likeness of God, who can’t be seen. He is first, and he is over all of creation. 16 All things were created by him. He created everything in heaven and on earth. He created everything that can be seen and everything that can’t be seen. He created kings, powers, rulers and authorities. Everything was created by him and for him. 17 Before anything was created, he was already there. He holds everything together.
18 And he is the head of the body, which is the church. He is the beginning. He is the first to be raised from the dead. That happened so that he would be far above everything. 19 God was pleased to have his whole nature living in Christ. 20 God was pleased to bring all things back to himself because of what Christ has done. That includes all things on earth and in heaven. God made peace through Christ’s blood, through his death on the cross.
21 At one time you were separated from God. You were enemies in your minds because of your evil ways. 22 But because Christ died, God has brought you back to himself. Christ’s death has made you holy in God’s sight. So now you don’t have any flaw. You are free from blame.
23 But you must keep your faith steady and firm. Don’t move away from the hope that the good news holds out to you. It is the good news that you heard. It has been preached to every creature under heaven. I, Paul, now serve the good news."
In order to comfort Maiesha, this is what I shared with her. I told her that we give gifts to each other at Christmas time to show our love for each other like God showed his love for us by sending Jesus. Our gifts to each other, as best we can try to replicate God's love, show each other that our love is not conditional on how good we have been all year, but just a way to express our love like God did when Jesus was born in the manger more than 2000 years ago. And more gifts do not mean more love. It is all about our hearts. No amount of money or gifts can measure up to God's gift of salvation.
Jesus knew he came to die so that we could be reconciled to God and have a relationship with him that cannot be taken away. There is no greater gift! If you do not know Jesus as your savior, it is very simple. Just pray!
1) Acknowledge that you are a sinner and that you cannot save yourself.
2)Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and only He can save you.
3)Believe that His death on the Cross was for your personal sins and that His death was in your behalf. Believe that he rose from the grave and is alive seated at the right hand of God in heaven.
4) Give Him your life and ask Him to be your Savior and Lord.
Merry Christmas! I hope you will experience God's love and mercy this holiday season.
"A Baby Born to Die" by Bebo Norman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7S5cQhx2nZA
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