Merry Christmas to All!
“If you could be any person in the world, real or fictional, who would you choose and why?” This is the question that was posed to me not too long ago in the middle of one of those “bonding exercises” that many of us are asked to participate in from time to time. The question is not surprising; my answer on the other hand just might surprise you. “Santa Claus,” I answered, “because he makes people happy.” I know, I know, pretty shallow answer. Maybe, just maybe, if I really reflected upon it I might have a more serious, meaningful response to this innocuous question that was serving as an “ice breaker” in some sort of group dynamics function. But then again, maybe not.
As many of you know, I have always been a big Christmas guy. I like the season, its energy, its traditions, and its weather…basically I like everything about it and that includes the jolly old fat man himself. I, like Santa, really enjoy finding that perfect something for that perfect someone, be they my 7 month old grandson or my 95 year old mother. I love the expression of surprise and happiness that comes from a gift that strikes home with the recipient and I love the quest of obtaining just that type of gift for the folks in my giving circle.
For the past two Christmases I have had the privilege of actually playing Santa at our Camp War Eagle Community Christmas Dinner. This is a dinner for over 800 underserved families that we put on each year in northwest Arkansas. All of the family members who attend receive a nice Christmas meal with all of the trimmings, a week’s supply of groceries to take home and age appropriate gifts for the children. During the event, over one hundred kids come sit on Santa’s knee, have their picture taken and whisper expectantly and excitedly what they would like for Christmas. It never ceases to amaze me as to how plugged in kids are today. Whether they come from the wealthiest home in one of our Camp Ozark cities or the most meager of circumstances, they all have big dreams of what Santa is gonna do for them! Time and time again as I greeted the children I heard them ask for a Nintendo DSI, a WII or a flat screen television set. I had requests for horses, dogs, cats, baby brothers and sisters…you name it, they asked for it.
Nothing they asked for even remotely surprised me, that is until one little girl timidly climbed up on my knee to pose for the camera. After the picture was taken I asked her what she would like for Christmas. “Santa,” she replied, “I really don’t want anything for myself, but I sure would like my family to be happy.” I looked down at the little girl and I really didn’t know what to say to her. From her comment, it was obvious that her family was not very happy. What could I say? What could I do? How could I avoid disappointing her? Finally, I mumbled something about depending on God when the next child in line elbowed the little girl out of the way, jumped up on my knee and started listing off all of the material things he wanted from Santa. I nodded and half-way listened, but my heart was still with the little girl who had looked up expectantly with those big brown eyes and asked for something that neither I nor any other human had the capability of giving her…a stable home, loving parents a peaceful existence. I still love Santa Claus and I still love playing Santa Claus for those children every year and I still get a kick out of how savvy they are when they ask for things from Santa, but my heart and my prayers are with that one little girl who didn’t want anything for herself, but instead wanted only what Santa couldn’t give…peace.
Peace at Christmas, or any other time for that matter, comes from one source and one source only…Jesus Christ. We like to say that we celebrate his birth at this time of the year. We generally give him a nod, a wink and a smile just so we don’t forget him in the midst of the business of the season. Maybe instead of pretending to celebrate his birth, we should honor it. Maybe instead of celebrating his life, we should honor it. Maybe instead of celebrating his death and resurrection, we should honor it…at Christmas and beyond. We honor Christ not by what we do but by who we are. We honor Christ not by what we say, but by how much we listen…to Him. We honor Christ not by tradition, but through relationship. We honor Christ by loving him enough to want to be more like Him. We honor Christ by wanting Him to be known to others. Jesus is not the reason for the season, HE IS THE SEASON!!! I don’t know if I will ever see that little girl again…maybe next year at the same time and place, who knows.
I know this, until Christ returns we will continue to live in an imperfect world, one full of materialism on one hand and abject poverty on the other. One full of stable families on one hand and families with no stability on the other, one full of people who want only material blessings for Christmas on one hand and little girls who want nothing material, just the peace of a happy family on the other. I do know this however; Jesus loves that little girl and her family. He desires for her family to know Him and experience the happiness that comes from knowing Him…and He loves me, with all my flaws and mistakes and shortcomings, HE STILL LOVES ME…AND YOU!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS- FROM SANTA CLAUS (SAM)
