Living on the Fence

Before my kids were old enough to ask questions about Santa Claus I was still living that pagan ritual but now I am saved and being asked questions by my grandson. I had no idea what to say. How do you encourage imagination without lies? This is the question all Christians are faced with this time of year. Here is what I encourage you to do, and what Jesus has put on my heart about Christmas, and every day, that you would know the truth.

There was a real man, named Nicholas, who did what the Spirit moved him to do. He fed the poor, gave gifts to the orphans and helped the widows. He did what the Lord told him to do and as a result the spirit of what he did lives today, his fruit. We can believe this story and know that it was ordained by God because it lives in our knowledge. You need to bring this whole story home with the story of Jesus. 

There is nothing wrong with children knowing the story of Nicholas, especially if they know who Jesus is. It is those who do not believe in Jesus who perpetuate the inflated story of St. Nick or Santa Claus. They know there is something out there, that is spiritual, and they attribute it to Santa this time of year and any other timely mythical character that man has created. The Devil is at work convincing people of the validity of these characters, so those people do not have to believe the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of God is active all year round. The fence is erected.

Now, read the Bible, Ephesians 3:15-4:3. This is a prayer for those who have jumped up onto the fence. This is a prayer that each of us who believe, should put to work each day, and be reminded of, when we are tempted to kick someone off the fence. The Lord put them up onto the fence, in our presence, for us to support Him in His work. Our calling, to support Jesus in His work on this earth gathering His people together, is more important than telling people what we know. He gives us the knowledge we need, even if it is secular knowledge, to bring His people down off the fence into the faith. All knowledge can be used to help someone who is on the fence. 

If you are saved and still on the fence I say to you, keep asking questions of Jesus and He will answer them using people and the Bible. If you are talking with people who are on the fence do your best to make sure you don’t kick them off because they will not come down on the side of Jesus. You will have bruised them and left a nasty taste in their mouth about the Body of Christ. If you are saved and keep jumping up onto the fence about specific topics, stop it. Mature Christians don’t jump up on the fence because of a topic they are pondering. They question Jesus, asking for the truth, knowing they will receive it and believe it. 

People on the fence are asking questions looking for the truth. We ask questions of Jesus, as mature Christians, expecting Him to answer them. We ask question, of mature Christians, expecting them to know the answer from the Bible or help us find the answer from the Bible. The goal for every Christian is to get off the fence and believe God. 

I pray this prayer over you and every person who is on the fence about the truth. Pray this prayer over yourself if you are on the fence. If you are a mature Christian, pray this prayer every time you are tempted to hop up onto that fence. There is no grey area with God only with humans. When we are in that grey area we need to make sure we don’t climb up on the fence. The Spirit, in the inner man, has the strength you need to know the truth and you will be filled with all the fullness of God. Isn’t that what we all want?

Merry Christmas

May the Lord bless you this Christmas with His fullness through your faith.

Kathleen Derbyshire