I am enjoying teaching an ESL class to a small group of Korean children.  Sometimes I think I am learning more from the kids than I am teaching them.  During an ESL class about American holidays and traditions, I learned that Koreans celebrate Christmas much the same way as those of us in the United States.  They put up a tree and decorate it with their families.  Most of their parents of the students in my class taught them that Santa Claus is real and that he brings them presents. 

When I was a small child my parents did not teach me to believe in Santa Claus.  My husband believed in Santa until he went to school and the other children told him Santa wasn’t real.  I asked the Korean kids who ranged in age from 12-16 at what age they learned that Santa was not real.  I was surprised to hear all but one say sometime between the ages of 12 to 14.  One boy even said he believed Santa might be real, but that he doesn’t bring presents.  I was even more surprised when none of his peers laughed at him for his belief. 

I find this surprising, but what about my false beliefs that I insist on holding onto well past the time to give them up.  What about the common belief that money will solve all my problems?  Or  the belief that I have to do everything or nothing will get done? Or to tell a lie to stay out of trouble is better than telling the truth?  Or what about the false belief created by guilt, “I deserve to feel bad for my inadequacy”.  Or maybe I believe I can’t change anything about my life.  Or the belief that I must be perfect. 

The above list is just a beginning of false beliefs.  All of them created by your adversary the devil who goes about as a roaring lion seeking to devour you. (1 Peter 5:8)   The only way to be set free from  false beliefs is to go to the source of all truth.  Jesus.  “Jesus said…., “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”  (John 14:16) .  When you know the truth, the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)  False beliefs will become a thing of the past when we choose to know Jesus as our best friend.  Choose to spend all day with Jesus and see how His truth will change your life.  “…..anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!  (2 Corinthians 5:17)