Naughty or Nice?

Why is it kids always cry when they are sitting on Santa's lap? I know I was always a little afraid of the big, bearded fellow--even though he supposedly always dropped off gifts for me every year.

He's scary because we never knew him personally. He's just a kind man in a red suit who watches to see if we are good or bad, and based on his findings, we may receive gifts or coal from him.

No wonder why we think we're "good" people, because even when we were naughty, most of us still received gifts. Sometimes we tend to think of God like that. That He grades on a curve, and that He will let us into Heaven based on our "goodness."

However, He's not Santa. He wants a personal relationship with us. He doesn't grade on a curve. He expects perfection from us. And since we are not perfect, He offers a substitutionary sacrifice. We can have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.