INTRODUCTION
The year is AD 325. Constantine has convened the august Council of Nicaea, and a man called Arius is contending in no few words that God the Son is not equal to God the Father. One Nicholas of Bari, more commonly known as St. Nicholas, confronts Arius on his blasphemy, but to no avail. It’s unconfirmed whether the altercation got as physical as the memes would imply; but in any case, there was more to Nicholas than a jolly old man. He didn’t hesitate to make a scene if that’s what it took to stand up for God’s truth.
But we would be amiss to imitate this quality without also imitating his charitable spirit. Nicholas is most well-known for being a cheerful giver; and if he knew that this legacy started the myth of a man who loves children and conquers the night sky with his flying reindeer, he would probably rejoice. The problem would arise when he found out that make believe isn’t enough for some parents, and that some children are actually being lied to.
SANTA SEMANTICS
No doubt, when I used the word “lie” just now, many of these parents rushed to hide behind Santa’s fat tummy and ask why I want to ruin their family’s fun. I could point out that the long-term effects of lying are far more ruinous, or that if you have to lie to have fun, then maybe you’re just not that fun. But these responses would put me exactly where they want me: in a defensive position. So instead of giving them the reigns, I will renew my stance from a few months ago that deception requires an exegetical defense. I am not, however, continuing the Rahab conversation. Lying to murderers to save innocent lives is not in the same category as lying to children for kicks and giggles.
Any time I’ve tried to get an exegetical defense for lying about Santa Claus, the first difficulty has been that I’m not allowed to ask for one. The attitudes have ranged from “oh come on” to “how dare you tell me how to raise my children, you self-righteous, legalistic, gnat-straining Pharisee!” Indeed, the most telling take-away from these attempts at conversation has not been the lack of a tender conscience, but an attachment to Santa Claus so manifestly violent that it left me wanting to go home and wash the gall out of my hair.
There is nothing innocent enough to float above the Word, nor trivial enough to slip below it. I will grant without hesitation that the lie in question is not the false witness of Exodus, nor the dishonest scales of Proverbs, nor the blasphemy of Revelation. But answer me this one question: is it a lie, or isn’t it? And of course, I mean really lying. It should go without saying that none of this applies to parents who are openly just pretending, much like a game of charades or an airplane spoon. But if you are leading your kids to believe something false, what is it but a lie, and why doesn’t that concern you?
Colossians 3:9-10
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
Lying to each other would be bad enough, but for parents to lie to the people who should trust them the most, and profess the name of Christ while doing it, they have to lie to themselves first. Generous intentions is usually where this begins, but the Bible warns us about that too.
1 Samuel 15:20-22
And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the Lord your God in Gilgal.” So Samuel said:
“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
He also has rejected you from being king.”
Notice the confidence with which Saul figured his rebellion counted as obedience. He had apparently rationalized it to himself long before he rationalized it to Samuel. It’s quite possible this excuse was itself lie, but Samuel answered him with the assumption that it was in earnest—because Saul was accountable all the same. Putting sacrifice before obedience can and has led to sins that would otherwise be unthinkable.
Matthew 14:6-10
But when Herod’s birthday was celebrated, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod. Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. So she, having been prompted by her mother, said, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” And the king was sorry; nevertheless, because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he commanded it to be given to her. So he sent and had John beheaded in prison.
In the very next chapter, Jesus confronts the plea of traditional gift giving as a veil for sin.
Matthew 15:3-6
He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.
THE SNOWBALL EFFECT
Few lies come without plurality, and Santa Claus is no exception. Painstaking measures are taken to get children to believe it for as long as possible; and when the older children outgrow it, they are expected to rebound by complying with it for the younger children. The corporations are never far behind, and elaborate schemes to perpetuate the illusion are just a few dollars away.
So what spiritual effect will this have on Junior when he finally realizes that the Santa Claus half of Christmas… okay, I hear you. Your parents lied to you about Santa, and you turned out fine. Yes, I believe the Spirit is effectual. “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). But what makes you so sure it won’t effect your children differently? When the enlightenment sinks in, your child will realize he can live just fine without Santa. Besides, at least the Jesus Christ half of Christmas is still true, right? Even if your lie doesn’t agitate these implications, it surely isn’t going to help them. To deny all consequences is more fanciful than the entire canon of Santa. Of course it will have consequences. It’s not worth it.
If it wasn’t below you to lie about Santa, Junior has no reason to assume it’s below you to lie about Jesus. And guess what? It’s not, because you have lied about Jesus. Your testimony has contradicted the Gospel you preach. Additionally, Junior remembers all the times you punished him for lying, and all the times you read him the Bible verses that condemn it. Hypocrisy is one of the leading causes for apostasy among both the young and the old; so while this lie may not be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, it may very well be one of the straws that came before.
But the lousy theology takes root long before the fun’s over. When children believe Santa is a reality, who are they going to want to please more: Jesus, or the man who brings presents to good children? Who are they going to fear more: the baby in the manger, or the man who brings coal to bad children? Then, when they realize that Santa never really has the heart to leave coal, their works-based reward will become an existence-entitled reward. Remember, these are impressionable children’s minds we are talking about.
During the season, kids hear everything there is to hear about Santa; but they rarely hear more about Christ than His birth. They are preoccupied with preparing for the coming of Santa, but does it ever cross their minds to prepare for the coming of Christ? In preparing for Santa, they do good works to receive material possessions of their own wishes. How then are they supposed to apply the understanding that Jesus was born to give us His righteousness, die to atone for our sins, and reconcile us to our Heavenly Father?
SWEEPING THE CHIMNEY
Those of us who don’t actively participate in this must be careful that we are not pawned into it. So what should we do if, in the course of conversation, a child makes it clear that he has been lied to? I suggest the most ideal response is to confront the child’s parents. These awkward situations may play out differently, and we must not forget to take caution and peace into consideration. But of necessity, this starts with making sure that we speak nothing but the truth, and don’t apologize for it. Lying to children should not be normal, nor should it be easy.
But here’s the good news: if you have lied to your children about Santa Claus, there is forgiveness in Christ. And if you are wondering what to do about your marred testimony, the answer is the same: confess and repent. Whether or not your children already know you’ve lied to them, they do know you’re not perfect; and repentance is the only way to be free from the hole you’ve dug yourself into. While this won’t be easy for anyone, it will give your children an example of repentance to look to. This is a crucial step, both in your walk with God, and in your responsibility to train up a child in the way he should go. It’s never too late to tell the truth.
Psalm 119:97
Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.