12/14/2025
An image of Santa kneeling before baby Jesus has been shared widely online.
And this is where the real tension lives.
Santa says be good and you will be rewarded.
Jesus says you were lost, and I came to find you.
One trains behavior.
The other transforms the heart.
Here is the question many parents quietly wrestle with but rarely say out loud.
What happens when children discover that the figure who watched them, judged their behavior, and rewarded them… was not real?
For some families, it is harmless tradition.
For others, it introduces an early confusion between fantasy and truth, performance and grace.
Jesus did not come wrapped in a story to motivate better behavior.
He came wrapped in flesh to reveal truth.
Scripture says you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Not managed.
Not motivated.
Free.
The Gospel is not behave better and earn love.
The Gospel is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This is not about canceling joy or traditions.
It is about guarding trust, clarity, and the message of grace.
Hear my heart.
Children do not need another system to perform under.
They need a Savior they can trust.
So here is the real question.
Do Santa traditions help or hurt the way children understand Jesus?
Say what you think.
This is a conversation worth having.
- Peter Adewole