We celebrated Christmas Eve with our oldest son, Mark, and his daughter Kesley. Matt and family were supposed to join, but his kids were sick. So with just the four of us, we went to Christmas Eve at First Presbyterian Church, Colorado Springs, at 3p, had Chinese take-out, and then watched “a Christmas movie.” Which one?

We discussed some options and landed on The Santa Clause with Tim Allen (1994). June and I had never seen it. You can read the synopsis at the link…or see it for yourself. It’s an entertaining take on Santa Claus, who is real, of course, and who really does have an underground headquarters manned by elves at the North Pole. (The movie title is “Clause” – the “e” is added because it’s about a clause in a contract: a “Santa Clause.”)

The Tim Allen character, a single dad, becomes Santa Claus, and after he and his 8-year-old son, Charlie, deliver presents, the reindeer take him to the North Pole. Explaining all this leads to teachable exchanges. Here’s one with Charlie and his psychiatrist step-father:

• Psychiatrist: “I’ve never seen Santa Claus!”
• Charlie: “Have you ever seen a million dollars?”
• Psychiatrist: “No.”
• Charlie: “Just because you haven’t seen something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”

I’ve written about this truth before, with respect to the power of the Holy Spirit and falling iguanas. Really! Look it up.

Here’s another, a lesson from a North Pole elf:

It’s not “seeing is believing,” it’s “believing is seeing.”

We see this in the contrast between Zechariah’s response and Mary’s response to the Angel Gabriel’s message. Zechariah is waiting for evidence.

And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” (Luke 1.18, ESV)

Zechariah is saying, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” Mary believes right away.

And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1.38, ESV)

My friend Mike Metzger said the same thing the elf said:

They say seeing is believing, but it’s truer that believing is seeing. – Mike Metzger, A Personal Note, February 7, 2021.

So, teachable moments from a silly Christmas movie (and a lesson that there are always teachable moments around – see, for example, Proverbs 24.30 – 34).