Rudolph’s Parable

The one thing that remains constant throughout all songs, books, and movies of Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer is Rudolph’s embarrassment of his shining red nose.

If you’ve ever seen the movie, maybe you noticed that Rudolph never thought his nose was shameful until his parents tried to cover it up. When his friends laughed and publicly humiliated him, he ran and hid.

We later learn that Rudolph’s red nose would serve a purpose. He would lead Santa’s sleigh through a foggy night. He would become a hero to the same people who had laughed him to scorn.

Isn’t that just like the devil?

To take the one thing about us that God created for a special purpose, and make us feel ashamed of it. So ashamed that we would hide it from the world.

What we see as imperfections can be used for God’s glory.

That thing that we hate about ourselves. That thing that makes us different. That thing that make us stand out. That is the thing that God wants to use.

But if we keep running, if we keep believing the lies of the enemy, if we judge ourselves by the world’s standards, we feel like a misfit. Just like Rudolph.

Just as Rudolph only reached his full potential the night he pulled Santa’s sleigh, we will never reach our full potential until we embrace who we are, who we were created to be, and use our uniqueness for God’s glory.

When we allow God to use us, those that laughed and called us names will join the celebration of our victories.

How do we let our red noses glow?

1. Acknowledge your shining red nose. What is it about yourself that is unique? Is it your voice? Your height? Your past? Your testimony? I Corinthians 15:10
2. Know who you are in God. Even if you aren’t sure of your exact purpose, you should know that you are loved by God, you are called by God, you are valuable to Him and His kingdom. I Peter 2:9
3. Identify the real enemy. Satan will do anything to prevent God from receiving glory. That includes sending people your way to make you feel unusable, to make you feel lesser of a child of God because you different. Eph. 6:12
4. Reject this world’s opinion of you. So what if they laugh and mock you? Didn’t they laugh and mock our Savior? John 15:20
5. Let God use you.  Help those that hurt you. Even if they laugh, love them anyway. Matt 5:44

So let your nose glow. The world needs to see God’s light shining through you.

You know Dasher, and Dancer, and
Prancer, and Vixen,
Comet, and Cupid, and
Donder and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all

Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose
and if you ever saw it
you would even say it glows.

All of the other reindeer
used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Rudolph
play in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas eve
Santa came to say:
“Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?”

Then all the reindeer loved him
as they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
you’ll go down in history!

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer as sung by Gene Autry.
Copyright 1939 St. Nicholas Music Inc.