“My Mommy Kissed Santa Claus,” said, Justin
“The person who tells one side of a story seems right, until someone else comes and asks questions.” -Proverbs 18: 17
Tonight, this verse came out of nowhere. I feel lead to write a quick devo. You're reading it before it gets published.
I love the book of Proverbs! I took a class on this book a few years back. It was a three-month study. We went verse by verse. It was one of the best classes I have ever attended. I sense God wants to remind us about taking one side of the story before you know the other.
Proverbs is a book that teaches how to use wisdom. God is all about wisdom and righteous living.
If you were ever accused, please know you are not alone. I can tell you it’s happened to me too. It’s a terrible experience when people lie about you and people you have known believe the lies. This is one of Satan’s greatest tricks. Stay away from this destructive pit fall.
Here’s what I want you to know. When we are innocent and the people who are told the lies are innocent God redeems and restores us. We just can’t act out; we must wait for God to defend us His way.
We have to be very careful what we believe. In fact, the proper and godly thing to do is go to the person and ask them yourself. This is very critical for us to do. Did you know we are held responsible for what we hear and how we react?
Here’s a story that happened to me.
One December day, when Justin was 6 years old, I took him to the mall with me. Parents were everywhere with their children. They were lined up to take pictures with Santa Claus. As Justin and I were walking by, Santa Claus came over to Justin and me. We were not in line; we were walking by. Can you imagine my shock when Santa kissed me? I stood there in complete shock. Families were everywhere. People were staring at me. I was embarrassed. I looked at Santa and wanted to smack him. I held back because children were there. I just walked away and went about doing my shopping in and out of the stores.
Two weeks later, I was driving with Justin. We put on the radio to one of the popular stations as they were playing Christmas songs. The radio host opened the lines for children to call and request a song. Justin wanted to call and wouldn’t stop crying. I pulled over, took my phone, knowing very well his call would never go through. “It’s a popular station Justin. There are thousands of calls. They can't answer them all.” I started driving with my phone in Justin's hand. Suddenly, he got through.
The guy asked Justin his name, age, etc. Justin was talking to him like the man was his long-lost friend. The guy took a liking to Justin, and now the other talk hosts were talking to Justin, too. My son was now on the air for all of Massachusetts to hear him talk.
Then, it happened.
“Justin, have you ever seen Santa?”
My son said “Yes, I have!”
The man then asked, “What was Santa doing?” Justin, without hesitation, said, “He was kissing my Mommy!”
People, I was stunned. The guys were laughing now.
“Justin, where were you when Santa kissed your Mommy?”
“We were at the mall,” Justin replied.
Now the guys are laughing and asking more questions. “Justin, are you sure you saw your mommy kissing Santa Claus?”
My son said, “Oh, I am sure. We were at the Natick Mall, and Santa Claus got up from his chair, walked over to my mommy, and kissed her.”
Imagine my horrified face as I said, “Justin!!! Hang up the phone,” as I am hearing my voice coming through the radio waves. Justin just kept talking.
I had no place to pull over and grab the phone from him. I saw through the review mirror Justin’s face. His little face was all smiles, and the guys were loving every minute. “Justin, does your daddy know your mommy kissed Santa Claus?”
Justin calls out to me, “Mommy, did you tell Daddy you kissed Santa Claus?” My eyes were bulging out of my face, and I forgot that I could be heard too.
“No, I did not tell Daddy Santa Claus kissed me,” I replied very upset.
This interview with Justin took a little while.
Finally, my son, proudly said, “It is true. My mommy kissed Santa Claus at the mall. If you don’t believe me, you can ask her. She’s driving and her name is Teresa Allissa Citro!"
Now, the guys were laughing even more.” Your mommy must be very pretty for Santa to kiss her.” “Oh, yes, my mommy is beautiful. Guys always ask her out.”
At this point, I was having a cow. “Justin, please hang up the phone,” as the guys are dying laughing on the other end. “What does your mommy look like?”
Justin responded, “Well, my mommy is tall. She has green eyes and long blond hair. Sometimes she blow dries her hair straight, but she has curly hair.”
“Justin, your mommy is a blond?” Justin said, “Uh huh!” The guy said, “Well now that explains everything,” as they are roaring laughing.
Thank God, the guys finally said, “Justin, we are going to play a special song for you. “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus.” Those guys were laughing hysterically. You have a wonderful holiday buddy and tell your mommy we say hello.”
I couldn’t believe what I had just heard along with millions of other people.
My cell was ringing off the hook. Starting with Justin’s dad. Then, called my Pastor and his wife. They knew me well. My Pastor said, “Teresa, we just heard Justin on the radio. We know there must be a perfectly good explanation for this. You didn’t kiss Santa Claus, did you?”
“Of course, I didn’t kiss Santa Claus. He kissed me!” I replied in a very annoyed voice as I explained what really took place. Dead silence on the other end. Then both my Pastor and his wife started laughing. “This could only happen to you!”
Then, work started calling, and my cousins, my brothers, my neighbors, business associates; it seemed the entire world heard the interview and were calling me. “I am innocent," was my reply.
You see, it was true. I got kissed by Santa Claus as I was innocently walking by with my little son. I didn’t kiss him, he kissed me. But the radio hosts got Justin to tell a story that didn’t have all the facts. Yet, millions of people heard one side of a story, and I’m sure judged me incorrectly.
That story is funny now, but it wasn’t then.
This verse is very powerful because it tells how we should behave towards those who tells one side of a story.
We need to do something. “...until someone else comes and asks questions.” We need to go to the person who is being discussed and ask if what was said was true? Honorable people and people with character do just that. It’s people who love gossip and love to cause trouble that don’t.
Please listen, we are responsible before God when we listen to gossip. Furthermore, we are sinning when we believe the lies being told because you are judging that person, and then condemning them without hearing if what was said was true?
I write openly here on social media using myself as an object lesson. I’m always praying something I say stops bad behaviors and draws us closer to godly ways. Please, stop and apply the Word of God in every situation and never take the side of anyone without asking the accused for their side of the story.
There is a true and false side. Our job is to reject false claims, and the accusatory evil and vindictive people's lies. God wants us to go higher in character and integrity. Wisdom is a rare jewel and yet available to everyone for the asking. King Solomon asked for wisdom and God granted it unto him, along with everything else. We can receive it too. It’s available in His Word. “To them who ask it shall be given.”
Ask for wisdom friends.
Rev. Dr. Teresa Allissa Citro
Founder and President
Thread of Hope, Inc.