Every Sunday night my family has movie night. This is a tradition we started about 5 years ago. We started it with the hopes that as the kids got older and busier that it would be that night each week where we would make no plans and we would all just be together. We do our best to make it a very special time. We have always tried to limit the amount of television our kids watch and it is a pretty big deal to sit and watch a movie together. We also made it during dinnertime, so the kids get popcorn and m&m’s for dinner. Though, they have been growing bigger as have their appetites, so the popcorn and m&m’s have been supplemented with a fresh veggie and fruit, cheese and crackers or little sandwiches and sometimes we mix it up and do pizza.
This week we decided it would be fun to watch a couple of the classic Christmas cartoons; the first one the kids chose was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It is funny watching these old cartoons because they are so different visually from what we watch today on our high definition televisions, but regardless, each year my kids don’t notice the difference and are drawn right into the story.
There were three things that I noticed as I was watching Rudolph. He wasn’t liked or accepted at first, there were other misfits that joined him, and in the end, others accepted and appreciated him. Some of us may be able to relate to Rudolph.
When Rudolph was born his father said that his nose was not acceptable, so for Rudolph’s first year of life his father used mud to hide Rudolph’s nose. His father wanted conformity. One day when the young deer where learning to fly, Rudolph got all excited because the fawn Clarise said he was cute, and oh how he flew. He flew better than all the rest. Because he got so excited, his nose was glowing more than usual and the mud popped right off and there it was for all to see, his bright red glowing nose.
Boy did his friends laugh as did the adult reindeer. Some were so shocked their little claymation eyeballs were spinning. Santa even told Rudolph’s dad that he should be ashamed. Everyone seemed to forget how well Rudolph could fly. All they could do was think of that strange red nose. They would no longer let Rudolph play with them because he was different.
Rudolph ran away and bumped into an elf, Herbie, that had declared his independence because he didn’t like to build toys like all the other elves. He wanted to be a dentist and all the other elves would not accept him. Herbie and Rudolph then decide that they would be “independent together.”
Eventually as Rudolph grew older and realized that he couldn’t run away from his problems he returned to Christmas Town. Herbie also returned, and just in time, because the head elf had a very bad toothache that Herbie was able to fix. After that they gladly accepted Herbie seeing how his gifts and interest, though different, were beneficial.
Then there was a big storm and Santa had to cancel Christmas but Rudolph was there to save the day with his glowing red nose that could shine bright in any storm and lead the way. Right away Rudolph’s dad declares, “I knew that nose would come in useful one day.” Yeah…right he did!
“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2
I keep this verse hung where I can see it everyday to remind me not to conform to the world. It helps me to focus on what is important and reminds me that it is not the world that conforms me but me who has to conform to it. That gives a feeling of power, doesn’t it? As hard as the world may try to conform me, the choice is really up to me.
This time of year I think a lot of people can really identify with Rudolph. Our culture and the consumerism puts the pressure on trying to conform people to their idea of what Christmas is supposed to be about. It is not just the season though; I think we can feel like Rudolph all year round. If you are different from the world in how they think you should manage your finances, raise your kids, do your landscaping, what clothes you wear, how much you weigh or what media you watch or listen to there is pressure to conform.
I have had numerous mothers tell me that they feel pressure from friends, relatives and society to put their kids in preschool the minute they can talk for “socialization.” I wonder what our grandparents would have to say about that. Probably the same thing they would have to say about the immediate gratification that our culture breeds and encourages. The debt that seems like no big deal, the lack of responsibility to pay for what you said you would. I know my grandpa would have a lot to say. He didn’t buy anything he couldn’t pay for in cash. And the pressure that parents feel to ship their children off as soon as possible for “socialization,” he’d think that was crazy too. Moms, dads, brother, sister, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, church, neighbors, the grocery store….life is socialization unless you are a hermit. And mom, you are a better teacher to your child on how to treat others because you care more.
There are many more things this world tries to conform us to, but these are the two that were heavy on my heart. I know there are a lot of people that do not agree with me and you know, that is fine. But I would ask yourself if you don’t agree because it is what you really know in your heart to be true or because the culture you live in has made it true for you. I also realize there are a lot of mothers who have to work and have no choice but to put there beautiful babies in childcare and this is not to guilt you in anyway. You have to take care of your family.
Now I said there were three things I noticed about Rudolph and the first one was that he wasn’t liked or accepted because he couldn’t conform. Nowadays he probably would be able to just get a surgery and have a normal black nose. But, that wouldn’t work very well for my analogy now would it. But Rudolph did have a choice, he could have kept his nose covered with mud and he chose not to. We could also choose to conform to the patterns of this world so that we didn’t stick out like a bright red nose. But, Christ called us to be bright red noses and along the way there are going to be those who don’t like or accept us because of it.
Rudolph wasn’t happy about not being accepted by the people in Christmas town but he found out there were other misfits. In the body of Christ we are never alone, like Rudolph and Herbie we can be “independent together.” And if it feels like that isn’t true for you, you forgot that your friend is Jesus Christ, and he will never leave you or forsake you. He loves you and is fighting for you.
My last observation from Rudolph was that others later appreciated the misfit’s differences. For us this may not come until the day we reach heaven. But who knows? It may come sooner and maybe, like Rudolph, it will be your biggest critic saying, “ I knew that would come in handy one day.”
Lord, help me to be strong in you, help me to declare my “independence together” with you. I want to be your misfit. If there are areas I struggle with conforming to the patterns of this world, I pray Lord that you would reveal them in my heart. I want to come to you so you can transform me by renewing my mind. I desire to be yours.
Click here to listen to Audience of One
