God’s Acceptance of Blinking Noses

One of my favorite secular Christmas songs is “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.”  I really don’t know why I like it as much as I do, maybe it is the melody, the catchy words, or the moral behind it, that the little, persecuted guy finally wins in the end.  All I know is that I like it. It seems a little strange to me that Rudolph never gets an apology from the other reindeer who so unkindly reject him in the beginning.  All of a sudden they’re practically carrying him on their shoulders as a hero, with Santa’s foggy night as the only explanation for the change in their behavior.

I always thought a stronger, more self-aware Rudolph would have held out for some kind of vindication.  “Sure, you guys like me now.  But what happens when the hoopla is over and you have to go back to living with this blinking nose?”

Thankfully, in God’s embrace, we’re accepted with blinking noses, whether or not we ever manage to save the day.  That is really what Christmas is all about.  God doesn’t need us to save the day.  God has done that in the baby born in a stable, that baby we call Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

We stand in the presence of God, blinking noses and all, all because of Christmas Day.

May yours be a most blessed Christmas season?

Peace,

Pastor Mark