Have you looked at the lawn decorations around your neighborhood for Christmas? I’m so confused! What are we celebrating anyway?? We have the constant whir of air machines propping up manger scenes of bible characters Mary and Joseph looking into a manger holding their baby Jesus next to giant snoopy dogs with Charlie Brown, next to Santa emerging from an outhouse, next to candy canes lining the driveway, with lights on every rooftop, next to Santa and his reindeer, next to giant crosses reminding us of Jesus dying. I thought Christmas was about Jesus being born not dying!
Artist Robert Cenedella upset just about everyone I’m sure with his painting of a crucified Santa Claus. It was displayed in the window of New York’s Art Students League in December 1997. Where is our culture going? Who wins the Christmas messaging war? Maybe it’s about who has the most inflatables on their lawn depicting their version of Christmas.
When all is said and done, if anything juxtaposed is to be created, maybe Santa should be bending the knee to worship Jesus. After all, Jesus beat Santa to earth by about 1,822 years! Jesus came on the scene 2,000 years ago. The modern-day Santa first appeared in 1822 in the poem by Clement Clark Moore, “A Visit From St. Nicholas” which you now know as “Twas the Night Before Christmas”.
The poem depicts St. Nick as a smiling, jolly, somewhat rotund guy. It didn’t take too long for images to begin appearing by the end of the 19th century. Magazines began crafting images of a man in a red suit and in 1931 Coca Cola made Santa famous by adding the nice idea that he should deliver toys while stopping at houses and sipping on a refreshing Coca Cola.
Christmas seems adrift at sea longing to find its roots. I propose that as a leader in a company, or a neighbor on your street, your job is to raise the question of the original idea of Christmas. You know, the one where a Father sends his emissary son to a planet in need of hope. No, not Superman. The father in the story is God and the son is Jesus. In fact, he did bring a gift, just one. He brought himself. He offers hope, which people need now more than ever. He offers peace instead of relatives who come and argue politics with each other over turkey dinner. He offers meaning and joy even when many are out of work and wondering about how to feed their family and yes, he offers the most radical gift of all, life spent forever in an amazing place called heaven.
It’s better than the best Christmas gift you’ve ever been given. It’s better than anything you could give as a leader. It will last longer than a bonus check or a fast-food gift certificate. Oh, one more thing. When you sign on to walk with and follow Jesus, everything you’ve done wrong is forgotten, forgiven, wiped out, like it never happened. Isn’t that a gift worth talking about to your team members and neighbors?
About the Author
GREG LEITH
Greg Leith is the CEO of Convene. He was born in Canada and lived in all four corners of North America. His career spans over 35 years of senior leadership roles in corporate, non-profit and academic sectors. Recently, he served as Director of Strategic Alliances for 13 years at Biola University in California.