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A Different Christmas?

A Different Christmas?

Let me begin by stating the obvious: it will indeed be a very different type of Christmas this year.  This is publicly and privately acknowledged, often with great grief.

There is no one unaffected by this pandemic.  Some readers have had to personally fight the virus.  Some have lost loved ones to it … loved ones who won’t be sending a Christmas card this year and who won’t be available to talk with this season.  Others were laid off from work and are wondering how they will pay the mortgage and the car payments, much less purchase Christmas presents.  Some didn’t just lose their job; they lost their entire business.  

Discouragement, depression, and even despair are more prevalent than usual.  Arguments and abuse are escalating.  General discontent, widespread unhappiness, frustration and “cabin-fever” are commonplace.   People are “so ready” for their situation to be better.

Not to mention the impact of the safety precautions upon Christmas plans.  The majority of the traditional annual visits to see loved ones won’t be made this year.  Large, boisterous family gatherings are undoubtedly postponed.  Crowded tables around delicious feasts are unlikely.  Gift-unwrapping parties will probably be much more private than in the past.  Those who are usually alone and always looked forward to Christmas when others would be with them will even be lonely on Christmas this year.  There will be fewer to share the Christmas cookies with this season.  (More Christmas cookies for one’s self would normally be a welcome turn of events!  Not this year.)  Much of the festivity of the holiday seems to be lost.

Even Christmas worship services will be impacted.  Some of the Christmas traditions that congregations have been doing “forever” won’t be observed this year.  Special arrangements and adjustments will be made by many churches, but even so attendance is likely to be down.  For some life-long Christians, it will be the first Christmas in their entire lives that they do not attend a Christmas service.

And no one knows when things will return to “normal” again.  All of which makes this a very different Christmas than usual.  For some, the grief is palpable and the mourning profound.

I will not patronize you with flowery, fluffy epithets or lovely but empty phrases.  We are all affected.  We are all hurting.  We are all sorrowful.  It’s undeniable; in multiple ways (in most ways!) this will definitely be a different Christmas than usual.   And it will be a different sort of Christmas for everyone.

But there is one way that this Christmas is exactly the same as every other Christmas.  It’s summarized in the message the angel shared with the shepherds on the very first Christmas: “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

May this unchanging truth be your beacon of hope and joy this Christmas.  Regardless of the personal challenges and sorrows in your life this season, your Savior entered this troubled world for you.  Regardless of how very different this Christmas may be from a typical Christmas, there is still cause for celebration.  Jesus was born for you to grow up to die for you.  He came to earth to bear your wrongs to the cross and make your relationship with God right again. 

All of which is amazing enough.  But death could not hold him.  Jesus is alive again!  Which makes Christmas just a wonderful prelude to Easter.  And what is more joyful than celebrating a living, loving Savior?  So during this “different” sort of Christmas, anchor your emotions in these truths … Jesus was born; Jesus has died; Jesus has risen; Jesus is alive; Jesus is still lovingly engaged in our lives!

Perhaps this pandemic and all the impact it is having on our world and our Christmas this year is actually an amazing blessing.  Of course, we know that the Lord is bringing blessings through it, as he does in all situations (Romans 8:28).  Undoubtedly the Lord is bringing many blessings.  But perhaps one of those blessings is that this pandemic synthesizes this season down to the simplest but most significant thing: Jesus our Savior is born.  No matter how many other traditions may be different this year, the simple truth remains: Jesus our Savior is born.

In that way at least, this Christmas is the same as every other Christmas.  Thanks be to God, in that way this Christmas is exactly the same!

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A Better Option

A Better Option

“Why Jesus Is Better than Santa” has been bouncing around the internet for some time now.  I couldn’t find an original author, but whoever it was caught the attention of many people.  (Including me!)  There are often slight variations in the wording, but generally the phrases remain the same in all the listings.  I borrowed some of those original ideas, I modified others, and some I omitted.  Most of the thoughts below I “penned” myself, though the Biblical concepts are not original to me, of course.  So even if you’ve seen the original version somewhere, you haven’t seen this version.  I hope you enjoy reading and reflecting on these contrasts between Santa and Jesus.

Here are 25 reasons that Jesus is a far better option to focus upon at Christmas than Santa:

1. Santa lives at the frigid and frozen North Pole. While Jesus carried out his ministry and purpose on earth, he actually had no home to call his own.  Now Jesus’ home is (again!) in glorious, warm and wonderful heaven, and he is preparing a special place for us there.  But Jesus is also everywhere.  Most astonishing, he even lives in our hearts!

2. Santa’s helpers are elves; Jesus’ helpers are angels. Santa’s helpers make toys; Jesus’ angels guard God’s people while they play, work, and go about their lives.

3. Santa says, “You better not pout. You better not cry.”  Jesus’ message is very different.  He says, “Cast all your cares on me for I care for you.”  Furthermore, Jesus will personally wipe all the tears from our eyes one day when he welcomes us to heaven.

4. Santa is said to give gifts to good boys and girls. Jesus, on the other hand, was the Gift intended for all people, young and old, all of whom are very bad (sinners).  Santa says “You better be good.”  Jesus says, “I was perfect for you, so you are good!” 

5. While Santa checks who’s being naughty and nice, Jesus watches over his followers to bless, provide for and protect them. Santa keeps a list of names and updates it often.  Jesus has his own list called the Lamb’s Book of Life, and he’s written our names in it!

6. When Santa sets off on his Christmas journey to deliver his gifts to the children, he travels the lengthy journey from the North Pole. Jesus’ journey was even more extraordinary; he left heaven to deliver the Gift of himself to the whole world when he was born on the first Christmas.

7. Santa comes just once a year; Jesus is an ever-present help.

8. Santa drives a sleigh; Jesus drives the cosmos. He swings from the stars, skips through the Northern Lights, leaps from mountain peak to mountain peak, rides on the winds, swims in the depths, and walks on the water.  Jesus heals the hurting, comforts the comfortless, fixes the unfixable, and restores the discouraged and discarded.

9. Children have to wait in line to see Santa and share their requests, and must hurry to keep the line moving. Children, teens, and adults – any believer! – can talk to Jesus anytime they want, and they can talk to him as long as they want.  Jesus always has the time to listen; he always hears and answers.

10. Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly; Jesus has a heart full of love.

11. Santa greets folks with a merry “Ho, Ho, Ho” and a twinkle in his eye. Nice enough but rather shallow.  Jesus exudes happiness, and passes a significant, deep-seated, and enduring joy along to all who know him in faith. 

12. Santa asks, “What’s your name?” and “What do you want for Christmas?” Jesus already knows our names and our deepest hearts’ desires.  And everything else about us as well!  Which means Jesus’ gifts are always wonderfully appropriate.

13. Santa secretly slides down chimneys.  Jesus’ first arrival was announced by angels and a miraculous star.  His second coming will be even more spectacular.

14. Santa enjoys the cookies children leave for him.  Jesus however has his children join him one day at the heavenly feast.

15. Santa fills stockings with goodies; Jesus fills our hearts and lives, and supplies all our needs.

16. Santa puts gifts under Christmas trees.  Jesus himself became our ultimate Gift and died on the tree of the cross.  Santa’s gifts are worldly, temporary gifts; Jesus’ Gift of himself fosters others spiritual gifts that will last for eternity.

17. Santa carries a bag of toys over his shoulder; Jesus carried a wooden cross.

18. Santa wears a red cap on his head and a red coat across his chest.  Jesus wore a crown of thorns and was covered in red as well … the red of his own holy, precious blood, shed for you and me.

19. While Santa’s hands are calloused from the reins, Jesus’ hands carry nail holes.

20. When Santa dies (which assumes he is actually alive), he will remain dead.  Jesus as true Man died, but as true God rose back to life three days later.

21. When Santa dies, his gifting is over; when Jesus died, his most significant gifting had just begun.

22. Santa is involved in Christmas.  Jesus is crucial to Christmas, Good Friday and Easter. And every other day of our lives too!

23. If he existed, Santa would have had to be created; he would have a beginning.  Jesus, on the other hand, always was.  He is eternal – existing before time and actively involved in the creation of all things.

24. Santa apparently does a little magic; Jesus does monumental miracles.

25. Santa has many stand-ins; Jesus is the One and Only.

“To whom will you compare me?  Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.  Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these?  He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name.  Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing” (Isaiah 40:25-26).  “This is what the LORD says — Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.  Who then is like me?”  (Isaiah 44:6-7).

So which contrasts did you appreciate the most?  Can you think of any to add?  Please share your thoughts below!

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