December 22: WHO WAS OLD SAINT NICK?

In the light of historical facts, it sounds contradictory that a key figure of western celebration of Christmas is Santa Claus or Old Saint Nick. The original Saint Nick was a man named Nicholas of Myra. He was a faithful Christian. The Emperor Diocletian burned him with hot irons and tortured him repeatedly for refusing to deny that Jesus was God. Following his death on December 6, 343 AD, he was known as Saint Nicholas, our so-called “Jolly Old Saint nick”.
His life was about sacrifice, about giving, about serving, about faithfulness to following Jesus as his Savior and Lord. His lifestyle was certainly contradictory to the way his name is used in frivolity. Sad to say, many historical facts have been lost in our shuffling the facts and figures of Christmas.
Jesus was the child of a homeless couple who found a retreat for his birthing in a common stable with animals watching. The glamorized presentations of churches during December, costing thousands of dollars, makes it hard to focus on the harsh reality of how the Son of man was mishandled and misunderstood in His birth or incarnation. Did you read about the church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida spending $1.3 million this month for their Christmas extravaganza?
In all of the beauty and pageantry, let us dig deeper for the true meaning of “God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)
When the angel announced the birth of Jesus to poor, uneducated shepherds she said, “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today, in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10 NIV)
I think God kept it simple, stripped of glamour, so none would miss the point. Keep your Bible open. Read the naked facts daily. Stick with the facts.

“We thank You, O God, for being sure that we did not lose the historical
record of Nicholas of Myra. Help us to emulate his lifestyle this year. Amen”