It’s kind of ironic that Santa Claus represents Christmas. Sure, I realize that there is some historical context behind Saint Nicholas that embodies and validates the ‘Christmas spirit’ of generosity and love. However, the Santa Claus we are so familiar with today—the one who checks his list of ‘naughty and nice’—actually embodies the antithesis of the One whom Christmas takes its namesake. Santa and Jesus actually are opposites.
Sadly, however, too many understand them on similar grounds. But when we look the characteristics of both Santa and Jesus, you’ll see that they are much more different than similar.
Here’s what I mean:
- Santa defines us as either ‘naughty’ or ‘nice’.
- Jesus defines us all as equally ‘naughty’ and equally in need of grace.
- Santa rewards the ‘nice’ and refuses the ‘naughty.’
- Jesus rewards those who know they are ‘naughty’ and refuses those who think they are ‘nice.’
- Santa’s criterion for reward focuses on behavioral compliance.
- Jesus’ criterion for reward focuses on motives and desire.
- Santa says you can earn your reward.
- Jesus says your motives are too twisted to earn reward.
- Santa’s mantra of reward is ‘try harder, do better.’
- Jesus’ mantra of reward is ‘my burden is light, because it is finished.’
- Santa says the reward is to be earned and claimed.
- Jesus says the reward is accomplished by him and is to be believed and accepted.
- Santa gives you what YOU deserve.
- Jesus gives you what HE deserves.
- Santa brings gifts of temporal value.
- Jesus gives the greatest gift of reconciliation with God, which is of eternal value.
- Santa weighs your good and bad deeds on the scales of reward.
- Jesus sees your sin as more rebellious than you can imagine, but gives his righteousness as a gift, which is better than you could ever dare hope.
- Santa brings the gifts you want.
- Jesus IS the gift you need, which is also better than anything you could want.
- Santa is the means to other, better ends.
- Jesus is the means and the ultimate ends, both the Giver and the Gift.
- Your ‘niceness’ is your leverage for Santa.
- Jesus IS your righteousness for God.
- Santa looks at you for your ‘niceness.’
- God looks at you for Jesus’ righteousness.
- Santa rewards conditionally upon your deeds.
- Jesus rewards unconditionally upon his grace.
When it’s all said and done, Jesus and Santa are really nothing alike, though they share representation of the same holiday. Truly, it’s my prayer this Christmas that everyone reading this blog will see Jesus as less and less like a Santa-figure and more and more like a Savior-figure.
Indeed, a Savior makes Christmas a heck of a lot more merry than a Santa.
