PLAYING SANTA
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I suppose most parents have been guilty of this atrocity at least once. Linda and I certainly were culpable of this criminal behavior. Both of our children are offenders as well, with their kids. I speak of the odious act of taking pictures of screaming kids sitting on Santa’s lap. On the whole, children are fascinated with Saint Nick. But around age two or three, they enter the Santa-screaming stage—terrified of the jolly old man. In the overall scheme of things, it doesn’t seriously damage their fragile psyches. But a few years ago, my perception of the whole experience changed.
A local mall drafted me as a weekend substitute for Santa Claus. You cannot imagine what an intimidating experience it is to be a fill-in for the “real” Santa! On a scale of 1 to 10, my Santa meter ranked a solid 2.5. Not too impressive. As I sat on my simulated North Pole throne, dozens of kids lined up to share their Christmas wishes. A few items on their lists were downright heartbreaking—“Please bring Daddy back” or “Help Mommy stop drinking.”
But it was the screamers who altered my perspective. The whole Santa concept is an oxymoron. We lecture children about the danger of talking to strangers, and what do we do? Plop them down on the lap of an old man wearing red tights! Then we refuse to rescue them as they scream for help. It seems a bit ... I don’t know ... twisted, maybe?
If nothing else, this experience emphasizes the gigantic gulf between Jesus and Santa Claus. In Mark 10:13, we read of people bringing their children for Jesus to bless. The ever-clueless disciples rebuked the parents. Then Jesus rebuked the disciples. He called the little children to him and held them, and I don’t believe there were any screamers in the whole bunch. How come? It’s simple. Just as I was a poor substitute for the “real” Saint Nick, Santa Claus is a poor substitute for Jesus.
What we long for more than anything else, Santa can’t provide. I have nothing against Father Christmas, but he doesn’t fill our deepest need for oneness with our Creator. Only Jesus can do that. Trying to find fulfillment in Santa, or anything else this world offers, will only lead to sorrow. I can attest to that, from experiencing a parade of two-year-olds crying on my lap.
Principle: Only Jesus can fill the deepest need of our heart.
Ponder:
● How do you envision Jesus’s interaction with little children?
● What do you long for deep inside that only Jesus can provide?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Mark 10:13–16.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for the picture of you and the children. It stirs my heart to love you more.
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