The Power of Suggestion
Every year as Christmas approaches, we are inundated with movies, cartoons
and TV shows that mix the obviously secular with the so-called holy. ìItís a
Wonderful Lifeî, ìMiracle on 34th Streetî and in a lighter vein ìThe Santa Clauseî
make their annual rounds on television, tugging at the heartstrings of
unsuspecting viewers.
Stories about the birth of Jesus Christ are thrown together with Santa Claus, a
reindeer with a red nose, a talking snowman and a whole host of other fantasies.
As ìthe dayî gets closer, the greedy desire for material possessions takes hold
on the hearts and minds of man, woman and child alike. People lust to get what
someone else is getting! The Bible calls this covetousness, which is a form of
idolatry. It is the unholy desire to have what someone else has.
ìÖcovetousness, which is idolatry.î Colossians 3:5b
This is the engine that drives the Christmas money machine, and retailers rely
on these spirits to keep their cash registers full.
However, this is dangerously close to what the Apostle Paul encountered in
Ephesus.
ìFor a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made
silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen;
Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation,
and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth.î
Acts 19:24-25 (emphasis mine)
Applying marketing ploys that would make any used car salesman green with
envy, parents and children are assaulted by television commercials about the
ìlatest, got to have toyî. The frenzy surrounding Cabbage Patch Kids in the 1980ís
and more recently the Tickle Me Elmo doll are just two stunning examples of how
insane this lust can become.
Children are encouraged to be especially well behaved in order to get the gifts
they want from Santa. Sadly, even Christian parents have used statements like, ìIf
youíre not good this year, then Santa wonít bring you any presentsî, in order to get
their children to be good and obey them.
Is this how Godís Word admonishes Christian parents to raise up their children ñ
in the fear of Santa?