Santa Claus Evolves

Last week, I told you a story of how I believed in Santa Claus until I was 11 years old. Before you make fun of me, remember 2 things: (1) I had evidence; (2) Believing provided me with presents.

Why would anyone do anything else?

By the time I was 12, (1) I had evidence to the contrary; and (2) Believing no longer provided me with presents.

How is this different from believing in God?

It’s not. And that’s okay.

My relationship with Santa Claus evolved as I grew older. However, it did not disappear. Rather, it transitioned to it’s true form which is my relationship with my parents. Although I stopped getting presents every Christmas, my parents still supported me. It just didn’t come in the form of a magical event once a year. It became a relationship with someone who was by my side from birth to adulthood.

When we start out, we see God as a provider, as an entity to alleviate the anxiety of the unknown (according to Freud at the very least). Thus, God protects us from bad things and provides us with good things. Why not believe?

However, once we get our basic needs, God transitions to the wish-maker God, buying us cars, giving us promotions, getting our love interest to be interested in us, etc. if we ask, we shall receive. This is at the heart of the Health, Wealth, Prosperity Gospel.

So is that it? Are we done? Is God just a magic genie that only privileged people have the ability to believe in? (Largely because they have “evidence” of God’s providence while underprivileged people would not).

Not quite.

The only way to transition out of a needs-wants-based version of God is to enter into a relationship with him. This sounds vague and abstract, but it really boils down to one thing: Love.

When your heart transitions from basic wants-needs into love for the people around you, the relationship you have with a higher power takes a new form. This new form is the foundation of being a High Performer with a close connection to a Higher Power.

Let’s chat more next week…