Merry Christmas to you all, my friends.

Unfortunately, in our culture we had reversed the meaning of the holiday. In the secular sphere, we went from St. Nicholas to Santa Claus, from an example of a humble, Christian servant to a big old man in a red suit who meets our needs. Even more sadly, we had experienced the same conversion in churches: we went astray from the Lord Jesus, the Suffering Servant, the Redeemer, the ultimate demonstration of love; instead we invented a Jesus who is nothing more than a convenient vending machine, always ready to meet our desires.

This poem by Greg Stier calls to return to the original St. Nick and original Christ. Let it make you think as you exchange your gifts and celebrate the season of Christmas. Enjoy!:

Can you hear St. Nick crying?
His tears fall softly on the ground.
They’re hard to hear beyond the hustle
Of holiday cheer and Christmas sounds.

Before we transformed him into Santa
He was a real man of flesh and blood.
Only one thing about him was different,
It was a heart that beat strong for God.

When he was young he lost his parents.
They left him all their worldly wealth.
But young St. Nick had no concern
About his own financial health.

He used his money to feed the poor
To help those in real need.
He chose a life of selfless service,
Instead of worldly greed.

He took care of impoverished children
By giving them coins of gold.
He slipped the gifts under doors at night
And from this act his legend grows.

It has grown as wide as Santa .
And deep as North Pole snow.
From flying reindeer to little elves
Or so the story of goes.

The modern Santa loves children too.
He gives them gifts at night.
He drops the presents and flies away,
Before we catch a sight.

But behind the fable lies the truth
Of an amazing boy called “Nick,”
Who gave up his earthly riches
To help the poor and sick.

The real St. Nick should be the hero,
He gave it all to follow God.
He helped others in secret,
And not for man’s applause.

A persecution against Christians
Spread throughout the land.
Although tortured and imprisoned,
For Christ he took his stand.

He refused to bow his knee to idols.
Though tortured, he would not give in.
He would rather lose his own life
Than disown the One who died for Him.

And now from heaven St. Nick cries
He sees our selfish greed,
How we’ve forsaken our Christmas calling
Of serving those in desperate need.

He cries because he sees us bow
To the naughty, not the nice,
For we serve the god of wrapping paper
Instead of the true Lord, Jesus Christ.

The One who gave up untold riches,
The One who lived to die for sins,
The One in whom we put our trust in,
The One in whom new life begins.

Can you hear St. Nick crying?
Do you have his broken heart?
Are you ready for something deeper?
Do you want a brand new start?

If you’re sick of yuletide fables,
If you’re tired of Christmas greed,
Then put your faith in Jesus,
And reach out to those in need.

With each present that you open up,
And each present that you give,
May you remember the One who died,
So that you and I could live.

The spirit of St. Nicholas
Is alive and well today
It began 2,000 years ago
In a manger filled with hay.