Most, if not all of us grew up believing that Santa was a real person who brought presents to good little boys and girls. Amazing that I believed that... being that I was not the best of little boys....but still got presents, and some pretty damn nice ones too. Why is it that we need to tell our kids or anyone elses for that matter that Santa Claus is real. We make him out to be the focus of Christmas rather than focus on the real meaning of Christmas - Jesus Christ. If most kids were asked the meaning of Christmas I think they would answer it is about getting presents from Santa. Christ would be a distant second. Let's look at it this way....Santa is giving me all these presents, and really I was not that well behaved this year anyway. Jesus is seen as more of a secondary church answer for why Christians celebrate the season.
Another reason I don't like the promoting of Santa is kids are being lied to (pure and simple) that first of all Santa exists. If kids look to their parents for truth and yet are being fed this, maybe you lied to them about more than just Santa. Look at it this way If you once believed in a man who knew what you were doing, who had amazing abilities, and who gave you nice things, and he turned out to be a fake, why should you believe in another man who knows what you are doing, has amazing abilities, gives you nice things--Jesus Christ? If you get burned once, why get burned the second time? Wouldn't it be better to be honest with our children right from the start, and teach them the difference between truth and make-believe?
Maybe believing in Santa is just an escape for having to believe in Jesus. Some extreme Christians believe we should burn a likeness of Santa in church every Christmas. I am not at all saying we do this. Obviously Nicolas was a man of God in his day, and he would probably be extremely embarrassed at how he is portrayed today to the point of being the meaning of Christmas over Christ. The gift of giving is something we can all do. It's better to remember the real Nicholas, who can serve as an example of how to really keep Christmas. In society today, we give to those who have at Christmas, and maybe remember those who don't have by donating a can of soup, while giving family members a new PlayStation, or Ipod or computer or toy or _______ fill in the blank.
Christmas has obviously gotten away for what it was intended to be, but it does not mean I can't change myself where I think I should or where God thinks I should. Maybe Christmas, at least when it comes to giving should focus more on Matt. 25 - to feed the hungry, help the sick, clothe the naked, invite the stranger, give to those in need instead of want, etc. This is just my opinion of how Christmas has evolved. You may have a totally different one than mine. Would love to hear it. Talk to you again about a similar matter at Easter....but first let me tell you what I want for Christmas! Merry Christmas...I'll be back in the new year....
No comments:
Post a Comment