I'm sorry but this is really dumb! Why make these kids' life more difficult than it has to be? Why make them deliberately stand out like circus freaks? And this is not a good lesson for them to learn, Jesus is not a silent cardboard character that they have control over. Jesus is their king, he is their Lord and Savior and they are treating him like a puppet! An object of ridicule:
Jesus went to the mall and a movie Saturday.(via)
As one might have hoped, he was welcome wherever he went.
The life-size cutout of Jesus was accompanied by a youth group from Lamoni United Methodist Church who came to Jordan Creek Town Center in West Des Moines to view the movie "The Nativity Story."
[...]
The cardboard Jesus is an exercise in living their faith and "taking Jesus Christ with them everywhere," said the Rev. Steve McElroy.
Earlier this year, McElroy had talked to about 20 middle school and high school students in his church about the challenge in living as a Christian.
The discussion became more real when the pastor showed up with the cardboard cutout and asked the youth group if they would take Jesus with them any time they were together.
"It's one thing taking Jesus around local places. It's more difficult to be a public Christian when you're hauling him through the mall crowded with shoppers," Pastor McElroy said. "It's a good test."
[...]
And the group didn't have to buy a ticket to get Jesus into the theater.
"Jesus gets a free pass!" Kelsey said.
The group thoughtfully propped Jesus up to one side of the theater so the cutout wouldn't block anyone's view.
[...]
"It's a chance to show people we are Christians and we're not embarrassed about it," said Agnes Ansong, 16, of Lamoni.
"We want people to know what we believe in and that we take the Christmas season seriously."
So, if we want our kids to show they are Christian, we give them a cardboard Jesus instead of the word of God and an understanding that the way we show that we are Christ's disciples is through our love:
John 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."Updated to add: I've thought about this some more and I thought of a better way to state my objection. The word hypocrite is taken from a Greek word that means putting on a mask and was used of actors. What these children are being asked to do is put on a Christian mask, they are learning to be Christians on the outside. To be a Christian no matter how uncomfortable it makes them. What I'm saying is that they need to learn that Christianity is about a heart change, first and foremost. Change what's inside and the outside will change automatically. The kids don't need to learn to be a Christian in public because that will naturally flow from an internal change. They will exude Christ whether they feel uncomfortable about it or not because that's who they are if they belong to Christ. They won't be able to hold back, they won't be able to stop themselves from sharing their love of Christ and their love for others. It will be as natural as breathing or talking about their favorite video game.
Matthew 23:25-26 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.Teach them what Christ did for them and how they were helpless to save themselves. That they were about to go over a cliff in a car blindfolded never knowing the danger as they drove closer and closer to the abyss, with their foot on the gas petal pushing the car going as fast as it could not knowing that the were speeding to their doom. But God in his infinite mercy and grace plucked them from the speeding car just as it went over the cliff, crashing to the rocks below and bursting into a explosion of fire and smoke. He took the blindfold off and then they were able to see the wreck they were just saved from. How could you not love the One who saved you from certain destruction? How could you not show that love to others and be used by God to save them from the speeding car? How could you be silent when others need the love of God that you have to share? It was given to you to give to others. Don't bogart it! (Is anyone using that expression anymore? :-)
That's what our kids need to learn, that's what we all need to learn.
Updated again: I'm not the only one saying these things.
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