Line upon Line

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Pop-culture tends to blur the line between magic and miracle. The confusion is not limited to the benevolent Saint Nicholas. From loveable vampires to the Harry Potter craze, fans of the genre sometimes confuse fictional fluff with faith.

As much as I love Santa, I never confuse him with Jesus.

Santa Kneeling          

Meet Dave and Beverly Taysom. The Taysoms are models of discipleship. Having served a recent mission to Nepal, they now bless lives on both sides of the veil as temple workers. They tirelessly serve others to lift up the hands which hang down.

At the center of the Taysom’s living room is a glass-top table. On that table is a multi-volume set of photo books documenting their mission to Nepal, together with the scriptures.

At Christmastime, there is one prominent addition to the table: a porcelain figurine depicting Santa kneeling at the manger to the baby Jesus. The abrupt contrast between the portly Saint Nicholas on his knees before the Saint of Saints is shocking, even humbling.

The figurine got me to thinking–a dangerous thing for those who know me.

A Mixed Theology

To the children of the world, I suppose Santa is sort of a faux-deity. After all, the kindly gift-giver “knows when we’ve been bad or good” and wants us to be good for “heaven’s sake.” Apparently, he also monitors our sleep habits on Christmas eve. If that’s true, Santa’s bringing my sweetheart a CPAP machine so she won’t have to put up with my snoring.

Just as a delicate cake batter requires careful attention to ratios and ingredients, those who blend Santa’s charitable wish-granting with Christ’s capacity for infinite charity are disappointed when the mixed theology deflates.

Sometimes we respond to Jesus in the same way a child responds to the loveable Santa. For example, we may pray with all the energy of heart for God to grant our most heartfelt desires. When those prayers are answered in the negative, or answered on God’s time line, some respond with a childlike Christmas morning tantrum. It is as though Santa had passed them by, condemning them to the naughty list.

In modern revelation, the Lord has declared, “Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you” (D&C 88:64, emphasis added). Sometimes, what’s best for us is delay or denial.

God’s Love For His Children

Storytellers like to draw folksy comparisons between Santa, the gift-giver, and the Savior’s gift of life eternal. Perhaps such comparisons are best left on the shelf of poetic license.

For those who think I’m a Christmas curmudgeon, I still love Santa. My grandchildren know I am sparkle-eyed at our red-suited friend, eager to see what Santa brings them on a glistening Christmas morning. But with a disciple’s eye, I am more joyful at giving than receiving.     

Perhaps Santa and Jesus do have one thing in common, something that swells in all hearts this time of year: an increase of love for our innocent children.