Linus

On Sunday morning, predictably I'll be preaching from Luke 2 -- the Christmas story. I know, I know; you've all heard it read at least once every year of your life. I have, too, but ever since I first saw the Charlie Brown Christmas special years ago, it's always read in Linus' voice in my head.

I've always liked Linus. Comics of all sorts have been part of my daily reading as far back as I can remember. My grandparents got me hooked on Peanuts anthologies, and I read every one they had. Linus and I got along instantly, but I think I appreciate him even more as an adult. What other mainstream comic/cartoon character would remind us of the comfort of sound theology, engage in a biblical debate on the baseball diamond, or stop us in the middle of the hustle, bustle, and pageantry of Christmas to remind us, simply and beautifully, that it's really all about the birth of Jesus?

Our contemporary entertainments could use a lot more Linuses, whether they're cartoon characters or genuine Christians portrayed as such on the silver screen. Of course, not all of our security-blanket-toting prophets should be fictitious; each of us here, in our own homes and workplaces, should be a sort of Linus van Pelt. Each of us should stare our secular society straight in the face, proclaim the word of God, and say, "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." No apologies, no hemming and hawing, simply the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Let's all strive to be a little more like Linus this Christmas. In love, share the Christmas story with those who need it most of all: those who have never known the Savior born in a manger on Christmas Day.