The Real St. Nicholas
December 2023
The person we refer to as Saint Nicholas was the Bishop of Myra in the fourth century in modern day Turkey. Nicholas inherited great wealth as a young man when his parents died in an epidemic. He practiced charity his whole life and showed compassion to the poor or those treated unjustly by society.
One story of St. Nicholas’ compassion involved a father who had lost all of his money. This father had three daughters and now could not afford their dowries. The father’s decision to sell his daughters into slavery or prostitution came to the attention of Nicholas. On three separate nights, Nicholas anonymously threw a bag containing enough gold for a dowry for one daughter through the family’s open window, thereby transforming the fates of three young women.
Contrast this with the character we now refer to as Santa Clause. The image of Santa Clause that we know so well comes to us from an artist’s depiction of the “fat jolly old elf” from Clement Moore’s 1823 poem, “The Night before Christmas.” By the early 1900’s, Santa was a central figure in advertising and Coca Cola was using this likeness, cementing his image as a world icon of commercialism.
While St. Nicholas saw his resources as a gift from God to be shared with the poor and marginalized, Santa Clause encouraged us to give only to a closed circle of friends in the form of often unnecessary and extravagant gifts.
Solomon says, "Don't withhold good from someone who deserves it, when it is in your power to do so.” Proverbs 3:27
Jesus says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive. ” Acts 20:35
St. Nicholas is a perfect example of obeying these scriptures.
Who will be our model for this Christmas season? Do we choose to share our abundance or continue to fill our lives and our families’ lives with material possessions?
I suggest that we choose to toss some bags of gold through the open windows of our neighbors.
Merry Christmas,
Tom Cooper
As we approach the Christmas season and year end, please consider helping City in Focus in all we do.
I also invite you to view the annual report. It highlights the milestones of this past year and provides a glimpse into the lives that have been touched and transformed through your philanthropy.
Blessings,
Tom