What If?

What If? 

A few years ago, I took a friend's little kid to the mall about this time of year to see Santa. The line was long, the crying was loud, the frustration was thick in the air as tired children stood in line to sit on Santa's lap and tell him all the things they dreamed of getting for Christmas. You know, those things they tear through on Christmas morning only to toss aside for the next gift. 

 I had a lot of time to think as we stood in line that day.  I watched as each kid was given maybe a total of 2 minutes to collect their thoughts, wipe their tears and whisper to Santa their biggest wishes. Mom just wanted the picture so they could have it for the kid's wedding video 20 years later and Santa just wanted to do "his time" and scoot on over to Starbucks to get a Cinnamon Dolce Latte. It was sad, really. 

 But I thought; what would this look like if, instead of a tired Santa, we had an exuberant Jesus sitting on that red velvet throne in the mall? I imagined, in this very imaginative brain of mine, it would look a little something like this: 

 As the bashful child approached Jesus, He would put His hands out welcoming this child in a calming, loving way, calling them by name. The child....a child He made....would slowly and cautiously approach Him. Their eyes would be locked on each other...there would be no crying....no temper-tantrum....just unspoken love between the two of them. As they hopped on Jesus' lap, He would whisper something only that child knew, proving He knew everything about them. He would first ask the child, "What are you thankful for this Christmas, my child?" followed by "If I could give you anything in this world, what would it be?" I don't know if the kid would say an Xbox or Barbie Dream Home as they had planned to say, but I kinda doubt it. This Santa was different. 

 A wonderful picture in our heads, right? A reality....probably not. At least, not in the mall. But this can be reality at our churches at Christmastime...on the Squares in our little towns....in our homes. What a wonderful way to teach our children and grandchildren that Christmas isn't about the Cinnamon-Dolce-Latte-Santa who just wants Christmas to be over with already....but rather, the Man who is our "reason" for celebrating. Celebrating the One who was born to rescue his tired, frustrated, and yes, worried people. 

 Give the kids the REAL Santa.....His name is Jesus Christ.