[thenightwriterblog] The Night Writer: Season's Bleatings

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Posted by The Night Writer:
Season's Bleatings
http://thenightwriterblog.powerblogs.com/posts/1196278651.shtml


   I saw in the paper today that a new Christmas special is debuting
   tonight featuring everyone's favorite ogre (next to me, that is):
   [1]Shrek the Halls. This will be followed by the classic How the
   Grinch Stole Christmas. Between Shrek and the Grinch we must be
   dreaming of a Green Christmas. Talk about your tidings of joy!
   Of course, not many of the "Christmas" specials really want to get
   into just what those tidings might truly be. Which means it's time for
   my own personal Christmas re-run of a post I wrote a few years ago and
   ritually reproduced here along about this time every year. At least my
   re-run comes to you without commercial interruption. That is not to
   say, however, that it doesn't have a Sponsor.

     The True Meaning of Christmas Specials
     Perhaps I was like Scrooge seeing Marleyâs face on his door
     knocker, but Iâm almost certain that when I watched the Charlie
     Brown Christmas special I heard Linus stand on stage and say:

     And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree to
     render unto Caesar, and that all the world should shop and pay
     sales tax, and all went to be taxed, everyone into his own mall.
     And Joseph also went up from Shakopee, into Bloomington, unto the
     Mall of America, (which is called MOA) because he was an American,
     to shop with his wife Mary, they being great with debt. And so it
     was, that, while they were there, the items were purchased that
     needed to be delivered, and they brought forth their credit card,
     wrapped in promises to pay and laid it on the counter because there
     was no money in their checking account.
     And there was in the same country stewards, abiding in their homes,
     keeping watch over their televisions by night. And lo, the
     commercials from Mammon came upon them and the glory of the goods
     shown round about them and they were sore afraid they would miss a
     good deal. And the commercial said unto them, âFear not, for behold
     I bring you great tidings of a good economy, which shall be to all
     who do their part. For unto you is laid out this day, in a store
     near you, all manner of precious items, and this shall be a sign
     unto you: 40% off.â And suddenly there was within the commercial a
     multitude of friends and family praising their gifts and saying
     âGlory to the Giver with the highest credit card balance, and on
     earth peace, good will toward all, just $29.95.â 

     And it came to pass that I kept all these things and pondered them
     in my heart.
     Fear not, for this is not going to be a complaint on how commercial
     Christmas has become. Frankly, those complaints have become as
     traditional and meaningless to most people as holly and ivy (if you
     donât know what these represent, look it up). Complaining about how
     the true meaning of Christmas is being ignored, without actually
     dwelling on this meaning, is merely spiritual lip service; kind of
     like singing âGloria In Excelsis Deo,â without knowing what it
     means. For me the issue is not that commercialism obscures the
     meaning of Christmas, but the cultural camouflage that diverts
     attention. As a case in point, letâs look at the Christmas specials
     we watch with our families.
     Despite my parody of the Linus speech earlier, the Charlie Brown
     Christmas special is a classic and a true Christmas special because
     it is one of the few that deals specifically with the birth of
     Christ. âThe Little Drummer Boyâ is another old one and favorite of
     mine that also does this, while the Veggie Tales âThe Toy That
     Saved Christmasâ is the highlight of the new generation. Many
     so-called Christmas specials, however, purport to be about finding
     the true meaning of Christmas, but where is the Christ in âRudolph
     the Red-nosed Reindeer,â âHow the Grinch Stole Christmas,â âItâs a
     Wonderful Lifeâ or âA Christmas Storyâ? Watch these and most other
     shows and youâll get the message that you can be what you want to
     be and you should do kind things for others, and that Bumbles
     bounce. Nice shows and nice sentiments all, but while Jesus would
     exhort us to be âniceâ it isnât why he came. Donât forget that âfor
     unto you is born this day in the city of Bethlehem a Savior, who is
     Christ the Lord.â
     Enjoy the shows with your family, but look for ways to highlight
     fundamental Christian concepts within the programs, even if these
     messages appear unintentional. Since everything will ultimately
     prove the word of God true, teachable moments are everywhere if we
     are alert to them. The classic movie âMiracle on 34th Street,â for
     example, really focuses on the importance of faith, at one point
     virtually reciting Hebrews 11:1 and 11:5-6. Donât miss the
     opportunity to call this to your childrenâsâ attention. I once sat
     open-mouthed (but not slack-jawed) watching the SpongeBob
     Squarepants Christmas program for the first time. The story is that
     SpongeBob has never heard of Santa Claus until his friend Sandy
     fills him in. SpongeBob get so excited that he stands on a street
     corner proclaiming the good news to everyone (no one else has heard
     of Santa either) about how kind Santa is and about all the gifts he
     will bring. Soon, everyone is shouting, âWe love Santa!â I turned
     to my daughter and said, âSpongeBob is an evangelist!â
     Of course, SpongeBob is focusing on all the benefits that Santa
     brings, which is also a failing of modern evangelism. People are
     exhorted to âtryâ Jesus for all the blessings that will be added to
     their lives but if these donât show up right away (or donât show up
     in the way people expect) they get disillusioned, even bitter.
     This, too, happens in the SpongeBob Christmas show. We lose sight
     of the fact that the first benefit of the salvation we receive from
     believing in Christ is not in getting what we deserve, but in
     avoiding what we deserve.
     A good story for illustrating this concept can be Charles Dickensâ
     âA Christmas Carol.â You may think you know the story of Ebenezer
     (thereâs a Biblical name) Scrooge, but look at it as a parable.
     Scrooge is greedy and cruel and oblivious to his iniquity. He
     doesnât heed warnings to change, but because of anotherâs desire
     for him to avoid his fate, he is visited by spirits that convince
     and convict him of his sins and show him what is in store for him.
     In horror he repents and asks for forgiveness, vowing to change.
     Heâs not concerned about the benefits of a new way of life; he just
     wants to escape the fruit of the old way. Waking the next morning
     and realizing his opportunity he says âThank you (Holy Spirit)
     Spirits!â and is ever after known as âa man who kept Christmas
     (Jesus) in his heart.â (By the way, I happen to think the George C.
     Scott âChristmas Carolâ is the best, but Iâll always have a soft
     spot for Mr. Magoo as well).
     Iâm sure there are many more examples in Christmas programs that
     Iâve left out but that have occurred to you. Iâd love to hear what
     message or blessing you and your family get out of different
     Christmas shows, so feel free to leave a comment. Just donât shoot
     your eye out!
     Merry Christmas, my friends, and to your families!

References

   1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrek_the_Halls