Like a few number of you I’m guessing, I watched the Charlie Brown Christmas special again this year. The best part of the whole wonderful thing is when Charlie Brown has finally had enough of everyone’s opinions about his tree, his play, and everything about him. He’s so tired of trying to get Christmas and life right and so he yells, “Will somebody tell me what Christmas is all about?” And then Linus calmly says that he will tell him what it’s all about. He goes on stage, calls for the lights, and recites the gospel story of Jesus’ birth from the book of Luke. The same story we just read.

With this telling of the Christmas story, something miraculous happens to Charlie Brown. He hears that story and you can see a new understanding and something like comfort or peace bloom in him. With a smile, he takes up his little, bedraggled tree and happily walks away from the haters.

It’s at that point in the show that I want to hit pause and ask Charlie Brown if we can unpack that moment just a little bit. What is the comfort and peace that clearly blooms in him all about? What is he understanding? Where does that comfort come from?

Don’t get me wrong. I love the Christmas story from Luke, as many of us do. I just don’t think this moment is completely obvious. What Charlie Brown is actually experiencing? What is he thinking and feeling as he smiles and just walks away from the accusations of being a blockhead. What is it all about, I want to ask Charlie Brown.

I have an old friend who is a dedicated and committed non-Christian who loves the Charlie Brown Christmas special and, in particular, the Linus’ recitation from Luke. He posts it every year on Facebook around Christmas, once admitting it brings him to tears just a bit. And then he continues on in his decidedly non-religious way. And I get it. You don’t have to be a committed Christian for this story to tug at you, even if it is in ways you don’t quite understand.

So, I’m curious about Charlie Brown’s response, my friend’s response, or even my response and perhaps yours, too, to this story. What is the Good News that we hear in Linus’ voice telling us, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior.” What exactly is it that brings about Charlie Brown’s smile and my decidedly non-religious friend’s wisp of a tear?

Whatever it is exactly, I’m not sure it’s so simple as to say, “We’re so grateful that Jesus came into this world for x,y, or z reason.” For some of us here, we could tell you reasons why Jesus’ birth is a very happy thing for us. But that wouldn’t be the reason why my dear and decidedly non-Christian friend feels the tug of something when Linus’ shares this story. And if it was just nostalgia for this great Christmas special, it wouldn’t necessarily be the Gospel of Luke that opens his heart, like it does for many. And yet it is Linus reciting the Gospel that steals the show.  

So, here’s my theory of what is going on. You can let me know what you think.

In the show, the drama centers around two possible ways for Charlie Brown to define his life. One way is about trying to keep up and fit in with others, trying to do things right, and trying to understand a world that seems like it doesn’t really want him in it. At least not the way he is. It’s not just about life. He’s also trying to do Christmas right and it all keeps blowing up in his face.

I’m sure this sounds at least a little familiar to all of us. We too likely feel the hustle to keep doing all the stuff right, have the right morning routine, do our intermittent fasting right, finally start lifting weights, etc.

At least those are a few things on my to-do list to be “doing life right.” Yours might sound different, but I’m sure you have a list, as well. After all, New Year’s is right around the corner, the time when we all try hard again … at least for a little while, anyway.

The trouble with this way of doing life is we can’t really “win” at this game, because it involves our judgement and the judgement of the world to say who is measuring up and who isn’t. There’s not a lot of grace in our world of judgement and measuring up.

But then he hears Linus’ recitation, “For unto you this day is born a Savior.”

This is a different story to live by. It’s a story that names you as being included in the gift of all that is good and holy in the Universe, whoever you are or however big a blockhead you might be. It is offered to you. It is a story that tells you from the very beginning, before you had a chance to achieve a thing, that you are included in this mysterious gift of God’s healing, redemption, love, and justice for all people.  

These angels are appearing to shepherds. We’re not told that they are particularly good shepherds, even. Just normal, likely dirt-covered young men with no status. There’s nothing special to their names except that they were there. And that is enough to be included, even wanted in this beautiful story.

This past week I read a post from Humans of New York, which is a project of Brian Stanton who photographs and interviews folks in New York. Not special folks. Just folks who are there, like our shepherds. The woman in this post told the story of her separation from her husband. One day, he called her while he was away to tell her that he just didn’t want to be married anymore. This anonymous woman says of her impending divorce, “It’s brought up some youthful trauma. I didn’t come from a nuclear family, so there’s some abandonment issues. And it’s like I’m feeling the sting of puberty all over again. Maybe if I was prettier, he’d still like me. Maybe if I could keep up with him athletically, he’d still like me.”

In her story is the sting of not belonging, of not measuring up in some way, and worrying that this is why she will never truly belong.

The Christmas of perfect, sparkling aluminum Christmas trees could not be a balm to this woman who “knows” she is not measuring up. She is mourning the loss of her marriage. But it also sounds like she’s never had a life where she’s been a part of a family where matching pajamas were a thing.

Having the right Christmas tree, like Charlie Brown, or the right anything is not where the Good News (capital G and capital N) and joy of the season comes from. It can’t be. Because the Good News (again capital G and capital N) is only truly Good News if it is good for all people, regardless of what is happening in their lives. Regardless of the situations they were born into or find themselves in today. The Good News has to be universal, without restrictions, if it is to be actually good.

So, when the angels of the Lord come to these regular guys out on some lonely hill, far from anywhere important, and says, “For unto YOU this day is born a Savior…”, it is telling a story that is different than our normal story of hustling, earning, and striving to be worthy. This story is something different. From the beginning, these shepherds did not earn this gift and neither could they lose it. It is just simply given from the beginning.

That is the Good News for us in this Christmas story, that God’s action of inclusion and grace is always larger than us and it is for us. This gift of love is always flowing to where we are, regardless of how lonely or lost or worried or scrambled we are. The Good News is you don’t need to be any particular way to be fully included and wanted at God’s table.

The gift of life, the gift of God’s presence with us and for us is always generous, always overflowing, and always abundantly here for us.  

Charlie Brown may not have said it in this way or with this many words, but this is what I think his smile was all about in response to Linus’ iconic recitation. He truly heard the words…for unto you, Charlie Brown, was born this day a Savior. You are invited. You are loved. You belong, regardless of any other story the world might tell you or you might tell yourself. The gift is given to you.

AMEN