Elf on a Shelf?
So this Elf on a Shelf thing is just weird for me. Who thinks this up? Friends of mine told me it has been going on since the 1950′s. Really? Whose idea was that? Apparently this doll sits on your shelf and watches your kids and reports to Santa if the child is on the naughty or nice list. Creepy! Besides that those weird bug eyes and odd posture (who sits like that). But it does make me wonder about Jesus.Think about this, we teach our children that Santa is real and this stupid elf is watching everything you do. Then our children spend their whole childhood believing in a fat man in a red suit that flies around to deliver toys to everyone that this little elf says is on the good side and coal to everyone who is on the elf’s bad side.
Then, when the child gets older we tell them the truth of Santa (which I will not reveal to you, because children read this) and the Easter bunny and Tooth Fairy, and Hanukkah Harry, or others.
Then, after we tell them the truth of all those we tell them the truth of Jesus and how Jesus is watching and loves you and cares about you and even though we can’t see Jesus He is always with us.
Then, we wonder why our youth have a difficult time believing in Jesus.
Don’t get me wrong my kids love Santa and I tell them Santa will bring them toys but what if Santa became a side note instead of the main point? What if the only reason Santa existed was to remind of us our true gift: Free Grace from God?
Maybe I’m wrong, maybe the reason 11% of America believes in Jesus is not because of Santa but because of something else? But what if I’m right? What would that mean for how we teach our kids about holidays and about Jesus?
Please feel free to leave a comment with your thoughts, I would love to know what you think about all this Santa stuff.
