I really hate to admit this, but I realized recently that in some profound way I have mixed Santa Claus and Jesus Christ together in some hidden corner of my soul. I mean, what did we learn about Santa Claus when we were growing up?
You better watch out
You better not cry
You better not pout
I’m telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He’s making a list,
Checking it twice;
Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice.
Santa Claus is coming to town
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows if you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake
Somehow, in this song, Santa is made omniscient and gives rewards because of merit. And, don’t forget, how many of you were threatened with coal in your stockings if you were bad–not to mention that we celebrated Santa and Jesus on the same day. Is it a huge surprise that it is easy for me to slip into incorrectly thinking that God’s love for us is merit–based? Of course, it’s not, but sometimes that place of early confusion in my soul wins out. I’ve learned to identify it quickly, though, for the deception that it is.
Fearless 
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