The First Christmas Gift

According to a story I once heard, a church was having a Christmas pageant, and a well-liked young boy was chosen to play the innkeeper. The idea was that this boy would listen to Joseph explain his need for a room. The he would respond, “Sorry, but all our rooms are full.” Everything went just fine at first. The boy listened as Joseph made his plea for a room. “Sorry, no rooms,” he said. He listened again as Joseph spoke of Mary, who really needed a good rest after her long journey. Sorry, no rooms,” the boy said again—but with less conviction.

And then, when Joseph and Mary turned sadly to depart, the boy’s conviction crumbled altogether. “Wait,” he said. “You can have my room.”

I get tears in my eyes when I think about this story. At Christmas, we see lots of selfish behavior. Most of us care too much about what kinds of presents we are going to get, but we also see lots of generous behavior at Christmas. Many good things happen during the Christmas season. People in our community collect toys for children and food for families who would otherwise have little or none. Bellringers turn out to collect money for people in need. Churches take offerings to do their part. Volunteers spend countless hours doing the things that enrich us at Christmas: practicing choral music, decorating the sanctuary, and rehearsing with the children. We demonstrate our faith and our Christmas spirit in a thousand different ways.

As we remember the infant Jesus, God’s Christmas gift to us, we have a living, breathing sign of the immeasurable love that god has had for all of us from the very beginning. Christmas is the living promise that we are never alone. No matter where we are in life, no matter in what condition we find ourselves, no matter how far we might stray, or how unfaithful we are, God, the supreme example of love, will pursue us in love for eternity.

I pray God’s blessings on each of you this Christmas. May God bless you with a heart full of love and hands lovely from service to others.

Luke 2:13-14, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to god in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’”

Rev. Charlotte Austin, McCary’s Chapel United Methodist Church.