Part of our Christmas tradition for my sister and I growing up was watching the Charlie Brown Christmas special every year. Originally the cartoon aired in 1965 and it was replayed every year as I was growing up on one of the three TV stations for which we had reception.
The story of this cartoon contrasts the consumerism of the season with the true meaning of Christmas, which Linus so aptly describes by quoting most of Luke 2 from the Bible.
If we walked around the Christmas tree lot together and I asked you which tree was a “Charlie Brown tree” you would probably point to the smallest, weakest looking, most sparse tree available. This idea was made famous by Charlie Brown choosing a very small weak looking Christmas tree after the other kids sent him on a mission to get a tree for their school Christmas play.
Last evening I happened to tune in to A Charlie Brown Christmas at the point where Charlie Brown is bringing his small sparse Christmas tree back to the group of kids. The dialogue goes like this:
Girl 1: What kind of a tree is that?
Lucy: You were supposed to get a good tree, can’t you even tell a good tree from a poor tree?
Girl 2: I told you he would goof it up, he’s not the kind you can depend on to do anything right.
Girl 1: You’re hopeless, Charlie brown.
Girl 3: Completely hopeless.
Lucy: You’ve been dumb before Charlie Brown, but this time you really did it.
All the kids laugh out loud at a dejected Charlie Brown.
I’ve watched this show probably 25 times before, but after the kids began mocking and laughing at Charlie Brown, I immediately began to weep, big tears running down my face. I sat there stunned at my response. While it’s true this has been a very full emotionally-charged season, I spent the rest of the evening pondering what triggered that emotional response.
Perhaps some of my sadness was because we can all relate to Charlie Brown feeling the pain of letting people down. In some ways I have felt like Charlie Brown as a leader in this past season of division and the relational distress in our culture.
Another part of me was pained because those who don’t know the real reason for Christmas, and who don’t walk with Jesus, are struggling just like Charlie to have meaning, purpose and context. Charlie Brown says to Linus:
“I think there must be something wrong with me, Linus. Christmas is coming, but I’m not happy. I don’t feel the way I’m supposed to feel.”
Most of all I think the dishonoring that happens at Charlie Brown’s expense was frustrating to my spirit because it is the opposite of the culture the Kingdom of God. The kids are shaming our little buddy with the yellow and black shirt, and trying to tear him down instead of building him up.
Shaming is a tool of the Enemy
One of the enemy’s schemes against you is to use shame to keep you from having the confidence to lead others or feel like you can contribute in your family or community. I’m watching people use shame regarding whether people are vaccinated or not, and I’ve prayed for many people who are at odds with their own families because of a different political view. One of the intended results of shaming is to control someone’s behavior.
In the cartoon it wasn’t as much about Charlie failing at doing something, but it was that he was labeled as a failure – that’s what made it shaming.
How will you respond to those around you who fail?
Will you raise your voice and “teach them a lesson” by blowing up – using shame as a motivation for change in their behavior?
Will you use the silent treatment and ignore those who mess up to show your displeasure in a passive aggressive way?
Will you use lecturing and preaching so you can "teach" others how to be better?
Worse yet, will you result to insults and “mean girl” behavior like Charlie Brown endured?
Grace, Honor, and Encouragement
I am praying for a graciousness in my responses to others in this season. It is important to come in the opposite spirit of the criticism and dishonoring posture of our culture. In your office parties, family gatherings and moments shopping where you see acquaintances, will you make it a conscious effort to have your words be seasoned with grace and love?
May words of encouragement, blessing, and hope-filled prophesy flow from our mouths in this Christmas time. May you receive new gifts of hope, joy and peace as you put Jesus at the center in this Advent season. And when others are treating us like Charlie Brown, may we draw on the strength of the Holy Spirit to forgive and find our true identity as loved sons and daughters of the King!
I look forward to seeing you this coming Sunday at 10:00 a.m. in the Dome.
You can also live stream our 10:00 a.m. service on Facebook and YouTube.
If you missed last week's message, Advent 2021 #4 - "Peace", click here.
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