By Beth Harmon
For many years now, we've given our kids Christmas presents galore and been baffled that they weren't getting the "Christmas isn't about Santa" thing. I kept saying "it's about Jesus' birthday". As if we are supposed to just think about his birthday during our Christmas tree stress, shopping insanity, and endless partying. Just keep his little birthday in your mind as you continue to do all the things you normally do, chanting to yourself "this isn't really what it's about". It hit me the other day...if it is about the birthday of Christ, what gifts could we bring to him?? What kind of party does he want?? And do we really have to say "look kid, it's Jesus or Santa"? Should Santa actually get to play a part?
The BIGGER lie we've been telling our kids about Santa:
The big lie we've been telling our kids isn't that Santa is real when he's not. The bigger lie about Santa is that he's someone we're all supposed to be waiting for. The truth is, Christmas IS about Santa. It is! I mean come on. Did we really think we were going to get away with taking Santa out of Christmas? There's just a major, but simple flaw in our story. We've reversed it. Listen to it.....
The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.
St. Nicholas was imitating Christ as he gave to the needy, the sick, the poor, the suffering. And we've simply imitated the wrong person in the story. We've become the poor waiting for Santa, which is fine, except for the very small problem that we are RICH. And we're giving to our rich family and friends. What if we told our kids the truth about this? "Kids, someone got the story jumbled up years ago and we've been doing it backwards ever since! The part we are supposed to play in this come-to-life story is SANTA....not the poor children."
We are the santas. So does Jesus have anything to say about our Christmas festivities? Read this verse....
"He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers* or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid."
Jesus was teaching us how to love. Why? So we can be nice and do kind things for suffering people? Yes. But is that it? No. The whole purpose in helping the poor and the suffering is the gospel. We want to live out the gospel. We want to bring redemption in every way shape and form. We bring it with our words, we bring it with our actions. We say, this is what Jesus did for me, now I do it for you so you will see Him. Your house is run down and broken? Let us fix it. That's what Jesus did for me. I was run down and broken. He fixed me. He redeems. That's what He does. We are His followers and so we make our lives about giving people pictures of redemption.
So, what if we applied that verse to our Christmas parties? I wonder if St. Nick would look down and say......FINALLY!!!! And by the way, I realize that this is not new idea to everyone...but it's one that I suddenly feel passionate about spreading to others. Because we can do some really cool things alone as believers, but oh, what could we do together? What if we changed roles? What if believers all over the world decided to forgo the American style Christmas madness this year? Ok, I know it's December and like me, you've already drawn a name, and made your promises, and purchases. But don't lose hope. Just start telling the story - to your kids, your friends, your family, to all....the reverse Christmas story. Us as Santa. Let's reverse this thing. Let's start dreaming. And begin where we can. Who knows what could happen by next year if the truth about Santa got out?
Jesus is all about the Christmas parties and gift-giving......He's just got a little piece of input on the guestlist.....
So, let's be done with this self-serving kind of partying and join some other believers in a REAL party....a bigger party.....an eternal one. Here's an example:
www.adventconspiracy.org (check out the video)
