Peanuts

“You’re a good man, Charlie Brown”  

Charles Schulz                                                                                                                                                             Twenty-five years ago today, February 12, 2000, comic strip artist Charles Schulz died. He was, of course the creator of the beloved comic strip Peanuts. He was known for iconic characters such as Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, and a host of other charming visitors.

He was also known for the famous TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas. That show, simple yet charming, had the boldness to devote a lengthy segment to the reading of the birth of Jesus as told in Luke chapter two. Schulz resisted some network efforts to cut that segment from the special. He noted that this beautiful story is the essence of why we celebrate Christmas. The segment stayed.

The comic strip Peanuts helped to bring some humor and human kindness into everyday life. As I was thinking about this, it reinforced the idea that no matter our profession, our position in society, or our own sense of influence (or lack of it), we all have a way to make our society just a little better, a little more humorous, a little kinder.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the little things in life that make us smile, Amen