As believers, we understand Christmas is the time of year we rejoice the birth of Jesus Christ. But secular people appropriate the holiday to celebrate both giving and materialism, with Santa Claus at the center.
Some Christians find no issue with telling their children the story of Santa Claus traversing the globe in a single night, delivering presents to all the good boys and girls.
Others, like Last Frontier Evangelism preacher Dave Grisham, tell children that Santa is a blatant lie.
Theologian John Piper weighed in on the divisive issue in a recent podcast.
“There is no contest here,” Piper tells an inquiring parent. “I cannot see why a parent—if they know and love Jesus, if they have found Jesus to be the greatest treasure in the world—why they would bring Jesus out of the celebration and Santa into the celebration at all. He is just irrelevant. He has nothing to do with it. He is zero.
“My counsel is to give all your efforts to making your children as happy as they can possibly be with every kind of surprise that is rooted in the true meaning of Christmas. Let your decorations point to Jesus. Let your food point to Jesus. Let your games point to Jesus. Let your singing point to Jesus. Out-rejoice the world. Out-give the world. Out-decorate the world, and let it all point to Jesus. And if being Jesus-focused is a killjoy for your Christmas, you don’t know him well.”
Do you agree? Sound off! {eoa}
