Praise Santa

I have often heard that Santa Clause and God were thought to be very similar individuals. I have sometimes wondered if Santa Clasue was the "god" we hoped we would find.

Like God, Santa is supposed to judge. He (santa) makes a list of good girls and boys.

Unlike Santa, however, God doesn't give out gifts according to our actions. Santa only gives good little boys and girls gifts. (and isn't it interesting that every parent says that their child is "good"??) God looks at us, realising that we have "all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God". Yet in his mercy, he still grants us the gift of eternal life, if only we want it.

In my human nature, however, i want a judge that will be "fair". i want my enemies to *pay* (prefereably with their own blood) for the sins against me they have committed. Santa, while not taking blood, leaves a lump of coal. Coal, left long enough will turn into diamonds. The gift seems to say, "Just like the coal, your not quite good enough to be worth much". We like the idea that the bad people will have thier nose rubbed in their sins. Yet somehow, we are always the "good" children. We see ourselves as always worthy of the gifts we recieve on christmas. When we perchance get a gift that isn't quite what we wanted we cry out "unfair!" we point to all our noble deeds and claim that we deserve better.

Christ gives His gift to us all. The Christ child was given not just to those who would do what they were supposed to, He was given to all who have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.