It’s bedtime at the Bozarth house. We try to be consistent reading bedtime stories to the kids. Sometimes it works out. Sometimes it doesn’t. One of the kids wanted to read “The Elf on the Shelf” tonight, but we read that last night. It is May after all. We argued a bit back and forth and finally I read “If Jesus Came to My House” first and then capitulated and read “The Elf on the Shelf.” I was determined to read something different and at least the book I chose had “Jesus” in it.
Everyone knows about “The Elf on the Shelf,” but in case you don’t know, “If Jesus Came to My House,” is a quaint, little, old book, about what it would be like if the little boy Jesus came over to this other little boy’s house and spent the day with him. I was struck by the last words of the book, “And though He may not visit me as I have wished He would, yet even so He’ll bless my house if I am kind and good.” We then moved on to the Elf book. Again, I was struck. “I tell him if you have been good or been bad. The news of the day makes him happy or sad…In the car, at the park, or even at school the word will get out if you broke a rule.”
I happened to get up earlier than normal this morning to send off some family who had stayed with us over the holiday weekend. The house was peaceful and quiet so I decided to putter around a bit and do some reading. Incidentally, I think I will enjoy being an old man when the time comes. I love puttering around the house. Anyway, it just so happened that I decided to read Galatians on this particular morning. I love Galatians. It’s impossible to read it and not be encouraged. Paul writes in verse twenty-one of chapter two, “for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” It's funny. I began my day reading about the freedom that can only be found in Christ and ended my day reading to my child about being kind, and good, and following the rules. Of course, I want him to be kind and good and all the rest. We should teach our kids obedience and practice proper discipline. But there is only one way to truly be good, and it’s not by following a bunch of rules. Is that getting through amidst the noise about Santa sending a spy to see if the kids have been following all of the rules? Please, no need to send in hate mail. I love Santa and the Elf is on our shelf every year. But what message am I amplifying to my kids? Am I telling them that love is contingent on following the rules? Jesus said to, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” And so it goes. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” Maybe I’ll put Elf on the shelf for awhile and do my best to remind my kids that the only way to truly be good is to trust in the One who followed all the rules on our behalf. Santa never did that.
Everyone knows about “The Elf on the Shelf,” but in case you don’t know, “If Jesus Came to My House,” is a quaint, little, old book, about what it would be like if the little boy Jesus came over to this other little boy’s house and spent the day with him. I was struck by the last words of the book, “And though He may not visit me as I have wished He would, yet even so He’ll bless my house if I am kind and good.” We then moved on to the Elf book. Again, I was struck. “I tell him if you have been good or been bad. The news of the day makes him happy or sad…In the car, at the park, or even at school the word will get out if you broke a rule.”
I happened to get up earlier than normal this morning to send off some family who had stayed with us over the holiday weekend. The house was peaceful and quiet so I decided to putter around a bit and do some reading. Incidentally, I think I will enjoy being an old man when the time comes. I love puttering around the house. Anyway, it just so happened that I decided to read Galatians on this particular morning. I love Galatians. It’s impossible to read it and not be encouraged. Paul writes in verse twenty-one of chapter two, “for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” It's funny. I began my day reading about the freedom that can only be found in Christ and ended my day reading to my child about being kind, and good, and following the rules. Of course, I want him to be kind and good and all the rest. We should teach our kids obedience and practice proper discipline. But there is only one way to truly be good, and it’s not by following a bunch of rules. Is that getting through amidst the noise about Santa sending a spy to see if the kids have been following all of the rules? Please, no need to send in hate mail. I love Santa and the Elf is on our shelf every year. But what message am I amplifying to my kids? Am I telling them that love is contingent on following the rules? Jesus said to, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” And so it goes. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” Maybe I’ll put Elf on the shelf for awhile and do my best to remind my kids that the only way to truly be good is to trust in the One who followed all the rules on our behalf. Santa never did that.
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