Good morning, friends.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 7:1, “Then the high priest said, ‘Are these things so?’”
It’s always around this time of year that you might hear people talking about Santa Claus. Since Christmas will be here next week, that’s no great surprise. But in Christian circles, the topic of ole St. Nick can stir up quite a debate. In fact, the Christian talk radio program that I hear from time to time dedicated an entire show recently to the question of whether parents should incorporate the jolly old man into their Christmas traditions or not. Usually, the point of contention revolves around promoting an obvious falsehood to your children while also teaching them to believe in Jesus. The concern is that the child will not be able to trust the adult and the story of Jesus once they realize that Santa Claus is not real. For me and my siblings growing up as we did, Santa was everything the stories and songs said about him. The anticipation of his magical visit in the middle of the night and presents somehow appearing in our den on Christmas morn was uncontainable. We also grew up hearing the message of Jesus and the gospel. But when that day came that I realized Santa was make believe, I don’t recall that having any effect on what I was hearing in church or reading in the Bible. In fact, I’ve never met anyone who said they couldn’t believe and follow Jesus because their parents had told them that Santa was real. There are far too many other instances of inconsistency and hypocrisy in all of us for a big man in a red suit to be the stumbling block to someone’s faith.
Now, if there were adults believing and professing to other adults that Santa Claus was truly the man and not the myth, then I might reconsider my stance. I didn’t expose my kids to the intrigue and fancy of astrology, assessing their personality and reading what their day should be like based on when they were born, and then try to convince them of its nonsense once they got older. Millions of intelligent people put much stock in what the stars might tell them, and that’s a false god with much more destructive force than a man who works with elves and brings presents to little children. Are these things so, as the priest asked? They are, if the presents under the tree point to the greatest gift who came to earth and gave His life on a Calvary’s tree.
As we seek Him today, let everything commercial and sublime and artificial and poignant direct you and your family to the immeasurable love of God as revealed in Jesus.
Have a glorious Thursday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
