I am glad for the "naughty
list". The other day, I was wrapping (well, I was trying*to wrap)
Christmas gifts, and my sweet 2 year old was *helping* by crumbling and
unrolling all the paper, and pulling tape strands at least 2 feet long. I
quickly warned her that this might earn her a spot on the "naughty
list". She did not care one bit. And then I started pondering the whole
"naughty list" thing. There never would even BE a Christmas without
the naughty list. That tiny baby that was actually God came because we are all
on the "naughty list". Jesus came to save us from our naughtiness. He
who is completely Holy and wholly God, came in a dirty, smelly manger because that
is where we are. He did not wait until we were on that "nice list." In
fact, he didn't just come down to earth that first Christmas, he later actually
took the punishment of that naughty list for every single one of us! For " But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we
were still sinners, Christ died for
us." (Romans 5:8) This is what Christmas is all about. Yet, we
teach that you only get great gifts if you are on that nice list. Well, I am so
glad that is not true. I got the greatest gift of all while being on that
naughty list. And so can you!
