“I think Santa is my bus driver,” the child whispered to
Mrs. Claus. It was Saturday morning, and
the jolly old elf was sitting in the sanctuary of First UMC with a line of
children waiting to see him. Mrs. Claus
smiled knowingly at the child and pulled the child closer for a private
conversation.
I think it’s lovely that Santa is skilled not only at
driving a sleigh drawn by reindeer, but also a yellow school bus full of
children. Who better to entrust our children’s safety each morning? In fact, I
know for a fact that Santa doesn’t only drive a school bus. Santa can also be
seen teaching school. He works in the
pediatric ward of a hospital. Santa is
the one who works with young people to teach them to build a fire or learn life
skills. He organizes youth to rake
leaves for a disabled neighbor. Sometimes, Santa is in the form of a trusted
adult who listens to a hurting child. At other times, Santa is dressed in a
helmet and thick suit as he fights a fire. Santa can look the emergency
responder who pulls an injured child out of a vehicle. Or the staff working
with at-risk young people, like those people at Spofford and other agencies. Most
often, Santa looks a lot like parents, worrying and praying and loving their
children through life as best as they can.
Yes, Santa drives your school bus. In fact, I have a hunch that it’s Santa who’s
at work anytime someone helps a child.
Keep an eye out, and you just might catch a glimpse of a twinkling eye
or hear a soft “ho, ho, ho” in unexpected places. He’s out there, every time a child is shown
love. Really, he’s there every time we take seriously the words of The One
whose holiday it truly is: “Let the
little children come to me.”
