Good December morning! This time of year has always had such a "magical" sensation to it. It intrigues me, that even still to this day, there is something different about this season in our culture. Why is that? Why does our focus change? Why are people more willing to give? Why, in general, are people more selfless during this holiday season?
Track with me for a minute as I unpack some thoughts floating around in my head :) The general consensus and motivation behind this holiday season is giving. We give gifts and focus on family and others this time of year. A lot of people would point it to the man behind the secular screen of the holidays- Santa Clause. He gives to those who are "nice". As children, we're indoctrinated that our behavior will affect how our Christmas turns out. I think, to some degree, that same line of thinking trickles into our adult view of Christmas. People are so quick to be politically correct these days and use "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". They want to remove any "religious" connotations to this season and simply put the focus on being kind to one another- being a modern day Santa (no religious strings attached). But allow me to enlighten you a little bit.
Where did Santa Clause originate? Do you know?
He wasn't always the jolly, big-bellied, white bearded giver of gifts that we see today. No. Over the years he has morphed into that. But the original "Santa", St. Nicholas, was a skinny, dark-bearded bishop that got his reputation from helping out a family with a dowry that they couldn't afford for their daughters. Over time, people have changed him into what he is today. The story of our modern day Santa is a far cry from the original one. Interesting. Even the motivation behind the character has changed. The original Santa loved God and gave because he saw a need- not because anyone had "earned" it. Our modern day Santa gives only to those who meet his standards of being "good". But yet people still look to him as the "savior" of this time of year- the motivation behind the actions.
Now let's compare that radically different story to the actual reason we celebrate this time of year. It's a story that is over 2000 years old (MUCH older than the story of Santa by the way) and has stayed consistently the same for that amount of time. Interesting. It's the story of the Creator of the world, humbling himself into human form to pay an enormous price- in order to rescue the creation that He loves so very much. He was FULLY God and FULLY man. He took on the most humbling form a human can have- a helpless baby. He lived and faced every type of struggle and hardship that a human can face. He spent his life teaching us how to live life the best way- the way it was created to be:
With Him.
He then, WILLINGLY took on the punishment that WE deserved and paid the price to bring us back to a union with Him for eternity. He paid that even for those He KNEW would reject it. Because He loves us all that much. Wow. Simply....astounding. And THAT story hasn't changed a lick since it happened.
Why?
I believe it's because it is absolute truth. Although the original "Santa" is a true story, he is not a savior. People are looking for a savior and therefore have morphed him over time into something he isn't. That can be said about a lot of different "characters" and people over time- changing to fit needs. But the ONE TRUE Savior hasn't changed since the beginning of time. He IS the answer for all of our needs and desires. All we have to do is surrender to Him. It's amazing that once you do, your desires fade and you are filled with His desires, peace, joy, and hope. It's absolutely transforming and the MOST precious and beautiful thing you will ever experience! So....where are you looking for truth? In a constantly-changing story of Santa? Or in the consistently same absolute truth of the Gospel?
Jesus really IS the answer to everything and the absolute reason to celebrate :)
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