by Caryl Havasy
All for His Glory Ministries Speaker and Writer
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given … ~ Isaiah 9:6a
Christmas is a very special time for most people. We love the traditions: decorated Christmas trees, lots of food and candy, singing Christmas carols, time with family and friends, and of course, the gifts. It reminds me of a song I used to sing as a little girl, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
You better watch out, you better not cry
You better not pout, I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He’s making a list, checking it twice
Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice
Santa Claus is coming to town.
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
As young children we often learn that Santa is the giver of gifts … if you have been good enough. So the better you behave, listen and obey as a child, the nicer, bigger and best gifts you will be given. But is it really a gift then? No, you have earned it. It is payment for your behavior. And the gift is lesser or greater based on what you did or did not do. Therefore, it is no longer a gift.
Maybe that is where we have developed many misconceptions about God. Many attributes given to Santa in this song truly do belong to God; He does know when we are sleeping and awake (Psalm 139:2-4). He knows our actions and motives. He keeps a record of those that belong to Him and all that we have done, good and bad, and God is the Giver of gifts. Yet, we have believed the very subtle lie of this very popular Christmas song – that gifts are earned. But true gifts are not earned or deserved. They are free. They are born in the love and affection of the giver. They are not given out of compulsion, manipulation or duty. Gifts, true gifts, are given by the giver out of love for the receiver.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, Jesus, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16). God didn’t love us, the world, because of who we are or what we have done. We “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), and the best we could ever hope to earn or deserve is death and destruction. “For the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23a) Death is what is earned, even when we try our best, because even “our righteousness is like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) Thankfully God’s giving of His Son was not limited to the manger – it also included a cross. “God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) “For the wages of sin is death, BUT the FREE GIFT of GOD is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) In God’s mercy and love He did not give us what our works deserve; and in His love and grace He gave us the free gift of eternal life and heaven. “For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
I pray that as you celebrate Christmas this year you would recognize the incomparable love of God through the gift that He freely gave – Jesus. I pray that you would receive the gift of eternal life in Jesus this Christmas.
