Thursday, December 24, 1998
Luke 2:7
What do you hope, Christmas brings you? A child would understand my question to mean, "What is Santa Claus going to bring you this Christmas?" To which every child could respond with a litany of the latest toys and games. The gift topping many a children’s list this year is a Furby. It seems each Christmas there is a toy that enters the category of ‘Must have’ as well the category ‘Impossible to find' Maybe you saw the movie, ‘Jingle All the Way’, which depicted actors Arnold Swartzenager and Sinbad, doing battle with each other as well as a thousand other parents, in an effort to purchase a super hero action figure for their child for Christmas. Christmas would be determined good or bad on whether or not they were able to obtain this toy for their child. What’s the determining fact for you this Christmas? What is going to make or break Christmas for you?
Recently I read a story about 5 year old girl, who while waiting with her mother at the checkout counter, saw a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box. "Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!" she begged. Her mother checked the back of the little foil box and looked back at the pleading eyes of her daughter. "$19.95. That’s almost $20.00. If you really want them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you so you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday’s only a week away, maybe Grandma will give you money for your birthday next week." As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out $2.70. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores. She went to the neighbor and asked if she could help her with the yard work. On her birthday, Grandma did give her some money. At last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday School, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off is when she went swimming or to take a bath. Jenny had a very loving father and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?" "Oh yes, Daddy. You know I love you." "Would you give me your pearls." "Oh, Daddy not my pearls. But you can have Princess--the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She’s my favorite." "That’s okay, honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss. About a week later, after the story time, Jenny’s father asked again, "Do you love me?" "Daddy, you know I love you." "Would you give me your pearls." "Oh Daddy, not my pearls. You can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper." "That’s okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a kiss. A few nights later when her father came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, Jenny? What’s the matter?" Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her father. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here Daddy. It’s for you." With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s father reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace, and with the other hand he reached in his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime store stuff so he could give her a genuine treasure.
What do you want Christmas to bring you? A powerful comparison can be made between this story and you and me and what we want for Christmas. We can have the dime store version of Christmas OR we can have the genuine version of Christmas. It is our choice. If Christmas is confined to the Christ Child in the manger or to a beautiful depiction on the cover of Christmas cards. If Christmas preparations are limited to making ready the house , the tree, the presents, the baked goods, the travel arrangements, excluding the need to make ready ourselves, our hearts, and our minds. You are cheating yourselves, you are settling for the dime store version of Christmas, instead of the genuine version of Christmas. If God, your heavenly Father came to you as the father in the story came to Jenny, what would he ask you to give up to prove your love? Would it be a worldly possession, a prideful attitude, a hateful grudge, a false security in power or money, your fears and doubts? What are you willing to give up OR need to give up, so that you may have the genuine gift of God’s love? So that you may truly experience the miracle of Christmas? Are you willing to give up as much as Joseph and Mary gave up? As much as Jenny gave up? Your answer depends on what you want for Christmas. Will Christmas be determined by the gifts under the tree, OR the gifts of God’s love born again in your hearts. Jesus told a parable of the man who found a pearl of great value. He proceeded to sell everything he had so he could buy that pearl. Jesus is for you and me is that great pearl. God did not send His son Jesus to provide you or me with some temporary joy or seasonal greeting. God sent His son Jesus to change your life. to grant you peace in place of unrest to present you with hope in the face of despair to bring joy instead of sadness to give faith to dispel doubts to strengthen the weak to offer courage in the presence of fear to provide salvation in the light of death You decide what you want for Christmas, the dime store pearls or the genuine pearls, Jesus the Christ. Amen
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