The Wonderful gift of Coal

"He's Make-n a list and checking it twice. Gonna find out whose naughty or nice. 

Santa Claus is coming to town."

 At Christmas time, every boy and girl is so eager to learn if he or she is on the  naughty or nice list. Will their stocking be filled with goodies and toys or an old lump of coal?   I've always wondered, why would Santa give a naughty child coal? The tradition goes back for centuries,  but  there really isn't much of an answer except that coal was the closest thing for Santa to grab from the fireplace. And to a child, coal is useless, undesirable, and worthless. No one wants to find coal in their stocking. But as I was studying  in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 16: 6-7 (Isaiah chapter 6), my eyes were opened to a whole new understanding for the application of Santa giving coal for Christmas. Giving coal to those who are naughty couldn't be more appropriate. In fact, we should all desire the gift of coal for Christmas when we can understand and see what it represents.

vs 6. Then flew one of the seraphim  unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the alter,
vs 7. And he laid it upon my mouth, and said: Lo, this has touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

The live coal from the sacrificial altar represents the element that cleanses our soul, fire. Coal then represents or becomes a symbol of the greatest gift given to man. The gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. 

The use of coal as a symbol for Christ's Atonement is perfect and wonderful. And I was able to comprehend its meaning a little more fully when I could see a few different ways in which it is used.  Here are three illustrations to consider:

My husband and I love dutch oven cooking. Using coal to cook dutch oven food is a process, Like the atonement.  One of our favorite  desserts is dutch oven cake. First, we heat the coals until they become very hot. We take our dry and wet ingredients and combine them in the oven and cover with the lid.  The heated coals are put down on the ground and the oven placed on the coals. More coals are then placed on top of the lid. Over a period of time the heat from coal begins to cook, changing the content of the food. These ingredients  become something greater than they were. A few simple, individual items converted to something more enjoyable and desirable.  Cake! Through the atonement, we too become changed,  we become new creatures.   Our very nature or desires turn from that of the world to our God to whom we belong. 

My favorite illustration is that of metal melting. A fuel source, such as coal, is heated to extremely high temperatures in a furnace. Solid metals are places in a large crucible in a furnace. As the metal is heated through, it begins to change from a solid to a liquid. Many metals  have impurities and need to go through a refining process. Often times a coal agent is added to separate the several types of metals from each other, also removing gasses, and removal of other unwanted slag which could make the final metal product susceptible to imperfection and weakness. As we apply the atonement to our own lives, we find that we go through a similar process. We place our sins, imperfection, and/or weakness at the feet of our savior. We  become refined. Our sinned and imperfections become removed or take from our minds and hearts. Our weakness become strengthened. The atonement is the process of making us holy, or pure and strong like that of metal.

The first two illustration dealt with the use of coal,  as the scriptures stated in vs 6, as living coal.  It was heated or living. But my last illustration is the use of coal in it's cold, non-living, non-burning, state.

When hiking in areas that are abundant in water, there is no need to pack large quantities of  drinking water. The one necessary piece of equipment would be a good water filter attached to a water bottle. (I realize there are many filters that are void of a charcoal filtration system, but that would not aid in my concept) A good Charcoal filter uses charcoal or carbon as an absorption system.  As the water passes through the charcoal, contaminants and impurities are trapped in the carbon allowing cleaner water to be consumed.  Again, we see that the use of coal, or charcoal, like the atonement, brings about cleansing and a more purified state.   

In the illustration of dutch oven cooking and metal melting, one can see the application of living, burning, coal as it becomes a symbol for the atonement.  In the illustration of purifying water, the coal was non-living, not burning,  and also shows the symbolism of the atonement. So what then is the significance between living and non-living coal?   For me it means that atonement knows no bounds. It does not only apply to the living, but also to those who have passed on beyond the veil of life. The atonement is for both the living and the dead.  Our loved ones on the other side will continue to learn, grow, and have the opportunity to develop a change in desires and thought when they except Christ as their Savior and  Redeemer. They too will be covered  under the atonement and be brought into the fold of the lamb through sacred  temple ordinances performed vicariously in their behalf by the living.

The giving of coal could not be more appropriate. Coal becomes the symbol of Jesus Christ's greatest gift of love and sacrifice. The gift of the Atonement. Christ says, "To this end was I born". We celebrate  His miraculous  birth  in anticipation of what His life would be and mean. For this purpose he came into the world. To give is own life, to atone for all the sins, trials, hardships, sorrows, etc. that we might humbly place at his feel to take away, strengthen, lift, or purify.  

So, as Santa comes and fills our stocking, I hope we all receive the wonderful gift of coal. The greatest gift that will bring us back into the presence of our Heavenly Father.

 Merry Christmas to all!





picture of coal used from:screensaver.com
picture of Isaiah used from: olivedrivechurch.com
Pictures of dutch ovens used from: datehookup.com
picture of metal used from: greycastfounder.net