You better watch out. You better not cry,
You better not pout, I’m telling you why …
Santa Claus is coming to town.
That famous children’s Christmas song begins with the very opposite of what we frequently call our “To-Do lists” (daily schedules of tasks to address and errands to run). Santa Claus Is Coming to Town begins with what might be called a “Don’t-Do list” (things to avoid doing at all costs because, as you know, he’s watching, making a list and checking it twice, gonna’ find out who’s naughty and nice).
Lots of famous and important lists have been compiled across the years, advising about what things to avoid: from dietary guides to relational manuals to the Ten Commandments (which include six phrases beginning with the words “Thou shalt not”).
While listening to Sirius recently, I heard Gene Autry singing about not crying and not pouting because Santa is watching and taking notes. It caused me to wonder what the advice might have been had the song been written for adults instead of children. What things would we be better off putting on a “Don’t-Do List”?
You better not judge, you better not hate,
Kindness is something that never should wait.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
You better not lie, you better not harm,
That will set off old St. Nick’s alarm.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
You better not fail the hungry and poor,
Their pain is something not to ignore.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
You better not speak, you better not write
A word that will add fuel to the fight.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
You better not try to procrastinate,
There’s always such pain in waiting too late.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
You better not miss the chances to love,
Which is our calling from heaven above.
Santa Claus is coming to town.
Okay, I don’t claim to be the next Robert Frost, but you get the point. Just as there are things each day we need to do, there are also other things we need to avoid doing. Any acts or words or social media postings that add to the discord in our nation, in our places of business, or in our homes should be avoided. As a friend of mine says, “You don’t have to attend every fight to which you are invited.” That seems particularly poignant counsel in a season when we await the birth of “the Prince of Peace.” Any sense of hurriedness that leads to impatience that eventuates in ignoring others who need us should be resisted. In making time for people (even when we feel we don’t have time), especially for others who are hurting or lonely or who love us deeply, we discover the very best times of our own journeys. Any temptation to give in to despair or to give up on life as we know it should be replaced by an irrepressible spirit of hope. We never know what may be around the next corner, but we will surely miss it if we stop moving forward. Dark clouds are a reality. But they are also temporary and cannot forever obscure the light of the sun.
In this season, there may be some wisdom in constructing a personal “Don’t-Do List.” At the very least, it will be behaviorally beneficial. At the very best, it may be emotionally and spiritually liberating. And whether or not Santa is watching, others are.