Parakalein

so the song is a reflection of reality or an attempt to threaten or manipulate reality?

I was sitting with someone who was feeling "undeserving and bad".  It triggered a part in me that went back to my childhood and began singing a different version than I learned of the song, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town":

"He is making a list and checking it twice and gonna find out who is naughty or nice. So you betta watch out you better not shout you better not pout I am telling you why cuz Santa Claus is coming to town,  He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake".

I wear a hat for Christmas that says "naughty" on one side, and "nice" on the other.  It is for fun but maybe has a serious message. What is true is that we are all naughty adn nice at different times.  What is also true is that God loves us in our naughtiness and in our niceness.  He loves us out of our naughtiness and into being nice.  The idea that Santa projects is that if we are naughty we are undeserving of gifts and are unloved.  That is just not true.  What is true is that we are loved and that there are gifts for us regardless of anything.  The Santa message is not the Jesus message.

So lets not play Santa, let us be Jesus in loving kindness toward all regardless of anything so here is the new version:

"He sees you when you are sleeping, and knows when you're awake, he knows when you are bad and good, and loves you for Jesus sake.  So no need to watch out, no need to put on a pout, it is better to shout, I am telling you why for "You and everyone you know are loved" for Jesus has come to town.


Okay it needs a little work but you get the idea!

Pray for my grandchildren as they hear a new version of an old song this Christmas!