The irony of Santa is not lost on me. As responsible adults we spend all year trying to instill in our kids a valuable lesson: Don't talk to strangers. And yet this time of year we not only encourage them to talk to a stranger in a red suit, we urge them to climb up in his lap and tell him their deepest desires so that we can get a picture. And by golly we're getting that picture even if they're screaming bloody murder. {disclaimer:those pics are my favorite}. Kind of a weird concept if you think about it. And yet it's a tradition many participate in every December. I know we did when I was little and quite honestly I'm sure I'll be that mom one day telling my kid to "tug on his beard to see of its real."
Santa is a nice guy. Jolly even. But nobody wants to talk about the judgmental side of Santa though do they? Unless it's to coral a kid's crazy behavior.{been there, seen parents in the store do that....I probably would too} It's the naughty or nice mentality. Santa's watching you. Elf on a shelf has nothin on old Saint Nick. If you're nice and do good things then you'll get stuff....if you're naughty, you get nothing, nada mi amigo. You choose. Ouch Santa. Really? That's a little harsh.What happened to the jolly old man?
I'm not writing this blog in some opinionated rant to get you to ban Santa from your household. Not that you'd listen. I like Santa. I do. I'm here to plead with you...can we stop treating God like he's Santa?
Religion has made him that. If your "good", God will bless you. If you do and say what's right then he'll give you what you ask for. If you're a " good person" then God is happy with you and you deserve the best from Him.
It's no wonder people are so turned off by 'religion'. Christianity Especially gives the impression you have to do more or be better for God to accept you...to make his "nice" list.
The truth is God owes us nothing, but yet gives us everything. Even when you're "bad" he chooses to bless you. Why? Because he ain't Santa folks. Never has been. His goodness isn't based on our behavior. Can I get an AMEN? But how often do we feel that we have to earn God's goodness. Because of what others say or have said or just our own skewed way of thinking we constantly beat ourselves up for not being "perfect" enough, mistakenly convinced God is doing the same. He hasn't answered my prayer...I must be doing something wrong. Been there, thought that. Religion makes it about law not relationship. Religion makes it about OUR failing works, instead of HIS unfailing grace. The greatest tragic fairy tale.
God doesn't say, "Well I was going to send you this peace you've been praying for but I just saw you lose patience with your kids so I'm just going to put it back in my bag." He is waiting for the right timing to answer your prayer, not the right behavior from you.
The truth is God wants to bless us because HE is good not because WE are good. It's one of the things that's hardest for me to grasp about his character and one of the things I love the most. We don't have to earn his gifts, he simply gives them out of the love he has for us.
God doesn't withhold his gifts from us when you mess up. He's not making a list and checking it twice before he can bless us...if he was we'd all end up with coal from heaven. Thankfully, God ain't Santa.
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