I was standing waiting to get served at my local store, when I heard a child talking to a parent. The child was pawing at some lip balm (of all things), wanting some.
The mother replied thus
"If you are good boy, you may be lucky and Santa will bring you some"
I have had SO many people ask my children -
"So, what are you wanting from Santa"
"Have you been a good boy/girl?"
I politely reply that half my children have no idea who this "Santa" is, who they speak of, and the others are not awaiting any gifts from aforementioned character.
I got thinking, though, tonight, about Santa, and what that woman said to her child.
"If you are good" and "Santa will bring you some".
It got me thinking about the truth of gift-giving.
It got me thinking about the "Giver", and what I want my children to know about Him.
I want my children to learn about the greatest Giver.
Jesus.
I want them to know that they are NOT good. That they are sinners, in the sight of a righteous God.
I need them to know that no matter WHAT good they try to do, they are still sinners, and they do NOT deserve any good thing.
They can try as hard as they want, but doing good will not get them closer to Jesus, and to the Salvation they need.
What they need is a Saviour. The one who came as babe, wrapped in mortal frailty, born in such humble surroundings. The one who grew to be a man who would heal the sick, raise the dead, make the blind to see. The one who spilled His blood, on a cruel Roman cross, to take the penalty for sin, so they could be saved.
NOTHING they can do will save them from sin's penalty. They can be good, nice, wonderful, and lovely until the cows come home - it's worth NOTHING.
I need them to understand that.
That Jesus is the best, and only, gift they will ever need. A gift that was offered freely, with no conditions.
Jesus. The Best Gift.
If I want them to understand that, I need the concept to be reinforced in our lives.
That means, for me, at Christmas they get gifts from their parents. They are given out of love - unconditional love - and don't have a requirement of "good" or "nice", in order to be given. No threats for weeks on end, hoping to get good behaviour from them to "deserve" their gift.
Given, simply because we love them, and it's good to give.
We want our children to see the connection. That their parents express their love, in part, through gift-giving. That God is the ultimate gift-giver - Jesus, the best gift. Both given from unconditional love. Both given despite the recipient being undeserving.
How can I teach these truths to my children, if I tell them lies about a man who will give them gifts if they are good? I just can't do it.
I want my children to learn only of the kind of love and giving that is a reflection of that is a reflection of
Santa just doesn't cut it for us.
A demonstration of unconditional love, does.
The mother replied thus
"If you are good boy, you may be lucky and Santa will bring you some"
I have had SO many people ask my children -
"So, what are you wanting from Santa"
"Have you been a good boy/girl?"
I politely reply that half my children have no idea who this "Santa" is, who they speak of, and the others are not awaiting any gifts from aforementioned character.
I got thinking, though, tonight, about Santa, and what that woman said to her child.
"If you are good" and "Santa will bring you some".
It got me thinking about the truth of gift-giving.
It got me thinking about the "Giver", and what I want my children to know about Him.
I want my children to learn about the greatest Giver.
Jesus.
I want them to know that they are NOT good. That they are sinners, in the sight of a righteous God.
"Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous."
Romaans 5:18-19
I need them to know that no matter WHAT good they try to do, they are still sinners, and they do NOT deserve any good thing.
They can try as hard as they want, but doing good will not get them closer to Jesus, and to the Salvation they need.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast."
Ephesians 2:8-9
What they need is a Saviour. The one who came as babe, wrapped in mortal frailty, born in such humble surroundings. The one who grew to be a man who would heal the sick, raise the dead, make the blind to see. The one who spilled His blood, on a cruel Roman cross, to take the penalty for sin, so they could be saved.
NOTHING they can do will save them from sin's penalty. They can be good, nice, wonderful, and lovely until the cows come home - it's worth NOTHING.
I need them to understand that.
That Jesus is the best, and only, gift they will ever need. A gift that was offered freely, with no conditions.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. "
Romans 6:23
"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."
2 Corinthians 9:15
If I want them to understand that, I need the concept to be reinforced in our lives.
That means, for me, at Christmas they get gifts from their parents. They are given out of love - unconditional love - and don't have a requirement of "good" or "nice", in order to be given. No threats for weeks on end, hoping to get good behaviour from them to "deserve" their gift.
Given, simply because we love them, and it's good to give.
We want our children to see the connection. That their parents express their love, in part, through gift-giving. That God is the ultimate gift-giver - Jesus, the best gift. Both given from unconditional love. Both given despite the recipient being undeserving.
How can I teach these truths to my children, if I tell them lies about a man who will give them gifts if they are good? I just can't do it.
I want my children to learn only of the kind of love and giving that is a reflection of that is a reflection of
Santa just doesn't cut it for us.
A demonstration of unconditional love, does.
I love this, Caroline!
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