Hmm. Let’s see…
“Satan” is only a word scramble away from “Santa.” And, come to think about it, they both have a fashion bent toward red and sport facial hair (one a goatee and the other a beard!) Yes! It’s all coming clear now! Elves and demons both have pointy Spock-like ears and they are pint-sized minions who do their master’s bidding. Satan/Santa both see us when we’re sleeping (creepy), know when we’re awake (scary) and they also know if we’ve been bad or good.
For goodness sake.
That’s where the crazy train stops. I know that some of my kookier brothers and sisters in Christ reading this right now want me to try to make a serious connection. But I can’t.
I can’t be too hard on Santa to be honest. Because the image of Santa today is a caricature of the real St. Nicholas, the 4th Century Saint and Bishop of Myra. St. Nicholas was revered as a dedicated and generous man of God. According to legend, “…a poor man had three daughters but could not afford a proper dowry for them. This meant that they would remain unmarried and probably, in absence of any other possible employment, would have to become prostitutes. Hearing of the poor man’s plight, Nicholas decided to help him, but being too modest to help the man in public (or to save the man the humiliation of accepting charity), he went to his house under the cover of night and threw three purses (one for each daughter) filled with gold coins through the window opening into the man’s house.”
Suffice it to say St. Nicholas was a godly man who loved Jesus and loved others, especially children. The gifts we give during Christmas honor his generosity, but most of all, point to the one that he honored…Jesus Christ!
When you think of Santa think of St. Nicholas! Think of his love for Jesus and love of giving! Let Santa point you to Jesus, not to the mall, Rudolph, eggnog or presents. Let’s see him, not as what the rosy-cheeked fat man has morphed into over the last seven centuries, but as the servant of Jesus that he truly was before he gained weight.
As for Satan. He is a creeper…with or without the goatee.
