Coach's Corner

The truth behind St. Nick

When I was a child, Santa Claus was everything to me!

He was the one who brought the best presents. He was the one who ate the cookies and milk that our family left out for him. He was the large obese man that somehow mysteriously shimmied down our chimney. And he was the one who flew from house to house on a sleigh pulled by reindeer. For me, Santa Claus was a huge part of Christmas and I looked forward to his arrival each and every year.

But I remember one day finding out the horrible truth about Santa. He, in fact, wasn’t all he was cut out to be. He wasn’t the gift giver or the "sweet tooth" man I thought he was. In truth, He didn't shimmy down my chimney or escape on special reindeer. What I ended up learning that day was that Santa Claus was at the center of a great conspiracy; one that saw millions of children believing and loosing sleep in their anticipation of his arrival.

But is that all Santa is…a conspiracy!

If so, where did this concept come from? What is the truth?

Well to discover the truth about Santa Claus, we need to discover the truth behind St. Nick. A truth that isn't underlined by a fancy red suit and a workshop in the North Pole, but one that's filled with love, compassion, and grace.

St. Nicholas was a man born during the third century in the village of Patara (now on the southern coast of Turkey). He came from a very wealthy family and was raised to be a devout Christian. Early in his life, he lost both of his parents to a tragic epidemic that soared through the country. He was left with his family's wealth and the foundation of his Christian faith. Deciding that he wanted to obey the words of Jesus to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor", he used his entire inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and serving those in need. St. Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his compassion, and his love for children.

It wasn't until the stories of St. Nicholas came to North America that our concept of who St. Nick was (a.k.a. Santa Claus) significantly changed. Today we don’t hear the stories about Santa Claus helping the needy, the sick, and the suffering. Rather, we hear the stories of red nose reindeer, chimneys, presents, and elves. And so we disregard the jolly old man as nothing more than a nice children's fairy tail.

But the truth behind St. Nick is one that we can all learn from. A man who had compassion for those in need, who dedicated his life to serving God and others, and someone who was known throughout the land for his love and generosity. The truth behind St. Nick should inspire us to put others before our self as we strive to value the things God values.

Love, compassion, and generosity are at the heart of who God is and how he wants us to live. St. Nick understood that and so should we.

Love and peace,

Pastor Josh

Posted December 01, 2008