Keep The Truth Central

I read in the newspaper a few days ago that “The Grinch Who Stole Christmas” is to be shown on television. This is one of the many stories of Christmas, we think. This is one of the many stories of Christmas?

Fact is, there is nothing about the Grinch that has anything to do with Christmas - at least not the Christmas that I celebrate.

Please don’t get me wrong. I know that children enjoy the story. And I also know that the Grinch has a change of heart, going from a “bad one, Mr. Grinch” to a pretty decent resident of Whoville. I also realize that Christmas has taken on huge secular proportions. It is more a holiday for merchants than for Christians.

But we need to keep the truth central to the holiday. And the truth is: this is a remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, the God-sent Son. The coming of Christ is simply without a doubt, the most astounding event in history.

Charles Schulz, the creator of the Peanuts cartoon strip, was an ordained minister. Many of his comic strips contain Biblical truth, though the casual reader may not know it. There is one production of Schulz’s that is remarkably clear and to the point, however. It is the program, A Charlie Brown Christmas, also seen on TV. In this particular program, Charlie Brown has failed in his attempts to find the true meaning of Christmas. Then Linus approaches and begins reciting a passage from the Bible:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Then Linus remarks, “That is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

Linus is right. That is what Christmas is all about. There are not many stories of Christmas. There is one.

Keep the truth central.