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By
Melvin E. Barnett
I had a thought the other day as my
children lay watching their carefully chosen video for the day, “The
Polar Express”. As I sat emailing and surfing the Internet a
strange contrast began to develop in my spirit as I caught bits and
pieces of the movie. Each child has to come to terms with this
reality: Is Santa real or not? More importantly every person must
also come to terms with the reality of the existence as well as
acceptance of Jesus Christ.
For most children who live in a
civilized society, the journey to adulthood will likely cross paths
with the acceptance or denial of Santa Claus. The spirit of
Christmas is very real, and the push for commerce will surely aid
every parent who wishes to build an iron-clad defense for St. Nick.
As a child growing up in a middle class, all American home I enjoyed
the festivities of each holiday along with the fairy tales that came
with the gifts, candy, charms, and even pulled teeth. I, like most
every adult, got past the acute depression suffered as I came to
terms with the fact that Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth
Fairy did not exist.
The children aboard the Polar Express
all come to terms with the spirit of Christmas as they experience
firsthand the splendor and festivities of Christmas Eve at the North
Pole. Strangely enough, for one of the characters, seeing isn’t
enough to simply grasp the reality of Christmas and believe.
Standing in a crowded parade filled with all the fanfare of the
holiday, streets packed with elves cheering on the clicking clock
for the final moments before Santa departs on his journey to every
home, one child is deaf to the sound of festivities. Then, all of a
sudden, the child picks up a bell that is thrown from one of the
reindeer. Slowly lifting the bell to his ear, he hears for the
first time its ring. As he listens to the ringing of the bell, the
surrounding sounds of holiday cheer began to amplify in his ear as
he starts to believe.
Outside of a dream, the unbeliever will
never have a chance to see Heaven and its majestic beauty. He will
never look upon the foundation of the City of God which is made up
of twelve precious jewels that support twelve towering walls of
jasper. He will never walk through the gates of pearl as he strolls
down streets of gold. A city where day never ends and praise and
worship never cease he will never see nor hear.
But, suppose the unbeliever, for once
in his life, could experience this splendor, see a city that is
filled with joy, where there is neither pain nor sorrow, would he
believe? Would he repent of his sins, accept the sacrifice that was
made on Calvary, and ask Jesus Christ to come into his life and save
him? People say, “Seeing is believing”; however, thousands saw
Jesus heal the sick, raise the dead, and feed the hungry yet still
scorned and mocked Him as they cried, “Crucify him!” as He made his
way up Via Dolorosa to Golgotha where He willingly laid down his
Life and became Sin so every man, woman and child could have eternal
life.
Perhaps, just as the child held that
bell to his ear, the unbeliever might find one answered prayer and
begin to open his eyes and hear with his ears the wonderful Word of
God, accept Jesus Christ, and be part of that journey to Heaven some
day.
Visit www.melvinbarnett.com
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