And the angel said to them,
“Fear not...”
Luke 2:10

Back in December of 1965, millions of Americans gathered around their TVs to see for the first time a Christmas TV special where Lucy and Snoopy and Linus and Schroeder and Violet and Charlie Brown explored the true meaning of Christmas.

What you may not know is that when the people at CBS Television first viewed the special, they thought about scrapping it. They expected it would be a huge flop. “This is probably going to be the last [Peanuts special],” one executive said. “But we got it scheduled for next week, so we’ve got to air it.”

Of course, A Charlie Brown Christmas turned out to be a huge hit. So huge that it was shown on television every December for the next five decades!

During the production, the team that worked on the special wrestled with whether or not to include the use of an actual, biblical passage. Some executives thought it might alienate viewers. But Charles Schulz insisted and Coca-Cola, the sponsor, gave their blessing.

Today, the scene where Linus recites the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke 2 is considered by many (as one producer described it) as “the most magical two minutes in all of TV animation.”

A few years ago, Jason Soroski, a worship pastor in Houston, was watching those magical two minutes when something hit him for the first time.

When Linus, who is never seen without his security blanket in hand, begins to recite the story of the birth of Jesus, he does something startling.

As he comes to the part of the story where the angel says, “fear not,” Linus drops his blanket.

“It is pretty clear what Charles Schultz was saying,” Jason Soroski wrote. “It's so simple it's brilliant. The birth of Jesus separates us from our fears. The birth of Jesus frees us from the habits we are unable (or unwilling) to break ourselves. The birth of Jesus allows us to simply drop the false security we have been grasping so tightly and learn to trust and cling to Him instead.”

Ours is a world in which it is very difficult for us to "fear not." But in the midst of our fears and insecurities, this simple cartoon image from 1965 continues to say to us today that our security, hope, peace, joy, and love are not found in the things to which we cling.

Because Jesus is here, we can let go of our fears and insecurities. When we do, everything changes. Because Jesus has come, like Linus and the shepherds, we can “fear not.”

Prayer: God, help me to let go of the things I’m holding onto, hoping that those things will keep me safe. Help me to find my security in you.