Rudolph and the Leaves: A Lesson in Loving Our Differences

There’s something magical about the fall leaves. The trees are in brilliant colors – red, gold, orange, burgundy, and even green. Every year, I find myself pausing to appreciate how each tree stands out beautifully in its own color, never competing or trying to blend in with the others.

Recently, as I watched the leaves change, a familiar childhood story came to mind:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. In both Rudolph and the fall leaves we can learn a lesson in loving our differences.

It’s funny how a classic Christmas cartoon can still teach us lessons, even as adults. The same little movie we have seen so many times, can still speak to our hearts. 

Rudolph’s Red Nose: A Symbol of Uniqueness

Usually when we think of Rudolph and his red nose, we picture him leading the sleigh and saving Christmas, but that wasn’t how his story started. The unique part of him that allowed him to save Christmas caused him a lot of ridicule.

How many times do we see someone’s God-given uniqueness mistreated or ridiculed?

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Recap

Just in case it has been a while and you need a refresher, here is the quick story of Rudolph.

• Rudolph was born with a red shiny nose.  Because he was different, everyone shunned him.
• Hermey the elf did not enjoy making toys. He wanted to be a dentist. Because he thought differently and had different ambitions, the others made fun of him.
• The two “misfits” met each other and set out to run away because of their rejection.
• While they were on the journey, they met a gold prospector, Yukon Cornelius. He accepted them and helped them along the way.
• They had a few scary encounters with Bumble the Abominable Snowman. They had heard so many scary stories about him.
• After a while, they ended up on the Island of Misfit Toys.
• Rudolph ended up making it back home, just as Christmas was about to be cancelled due to the fog.
• Santa saw the value in Rudolph’s shiny nose, and Rudolph led the sleigh and saved Christmas.
• Bumble the “scary” abominable snowman saved Yukon Cornelius and proved that he was not a mean creature after all. Those were just the perceptions of others because he was different.

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The Fall Leaves Tell a Different Story

I know in many places, the leaves have already fallen. However, the Texas trees in November and December are very colorful. 

Every time I drive down the road, I can’t help but think that we should live like the trees. Have you ever noticed:

• Each one is very different, it is it’s own unique being – just like us.
• All of the trees change at different times – just like us.
• The colors of the leaves almost seem like the trees’ personalities, each one is special – just like us.
• They don’t seem to mind their differences – UNlike us!
• The trees don’t try to conform and be like each other – UNlike us!
• The trees seem to embrace all of the differences and see each other as a whole (nature) – UNlike us! 

God paints every tree with intention, just like He designs every person with purpose.

The fall leaves remind us that beauty is best seen in variety. Imagine how boring the world would be if every leaf turned the same shade and every tree looked identical.

So why do we seem to respond to differences in the opposite way?

From Misfit to Mission: Rudolph’s Redemption

At the end of the story, Rudolph was celebrated for his differences. The very thing they teased him about turned him into a hero.

His “flaw” was actually part of his mission.

What if the same is true for us today?

What if the thing that makes you feel different, misunderstood, or even left out is the very thing God plans to use for His purposes?

A Lesson for Our Hearts

As adults, we may not openly tease others the way the reindeer did. But we can still fall into subtle patterns of judgment:

• Negative thoughts toward someone who thinks differently
• Making judgments about people who don’t look like us
• Talking about quirks or personalities we don’t understand

Let’s all let the fall leaves and Rudolph be a visual reminder:

• We are created for a purpose. The Lord created us just as He knew we needed to be to fulfill His purposes.
• Our personalities and ambitions are given to us by the Lord. Even these guide us through life.
• People who are rejected by “society” find each other. I saw this with students. The ones who were rejected were very accepting of others for the most part.
• Sometimes the unfounded fears we have about someone is because they are different or we have heard things about them.
• Everyone has value!

Imagine how our relationships, families, churches, workplaces, and communities would be if we took a lesson from God’s creation and celebrated each person the way we celebrate the colors of fall.

Encouraging Scriptures

The story of Rudolph does such a great job of showing how everyone has a purpose and worth. That is because we are created by the Creator. We are fashioned just as He planned.

“For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” Psalm 139:14

“But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.”
1 Corinthians 12:18

God doesn’t make mistakes.
He creates on purpose and with purpose in mind.
He places us exactly where our “differences” can shine the brightest – just like Rudolph and the fall leaves.

Rudolph’s Song

The story of Rudolph has been on the air for more than 60 years now, and the story is even older than that. As many times as I have seen this classic Christmas movie, I have never really listened to the lyrics of one of the songs?

Look at this one particular set of lyrics in Rudolph’s song, “We’re a Couple of Misfits.”

“We may be different from the rest.
Who decides the test of what is really best?”

That is such a great question! Who decides what is weird or a misfit? Isn’t the Lord the Creator of us all? How can we make those decisions?

A Simple Challenge This Season

• Read I Corinthians 12:12-27.
• As we get ready to go into this Christmas season, let’s be ever so intentional about how we treat people. 
• On the flip side, if you feel like a misfit in any way, embrace your differences and seek the purpose and plan the Lord has for your life! Once you see it and the pieces start falling into place, it will make perfect sense!

Let the fall leaves and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer be our reminder that you were created just like you are for a purpose, and so was everyone else.

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Until next time,

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“When I am filled with cares, Your comfort brings me joy.” Psalms 94:19