Like A Child

As I grow old-er I see things differently. Things I've seen or heard a hundred times take on different meaning, less meaning, more meaning...the other day I heard this song and it struck me so differently than ever before! You may have figured this out a long time ago...I'm slow sometimes. Maybe this isn't even why it was written, but here's what I get out of this song we hear at Christmas...

The Little Drummer Boy. Yeah, that one. Ba Rum Pa Pa Pum.

So here's a little dude, lucky enough to have a drum. It's likely his sole possession. He's milling around, minding his own business and suddenly a commotion arises. "Come! A newborn King to see!"

"What? a 'newborn' king?"

"Okay. So it'll be a while until he can rule, but he's bringing us hope! Come and see him!!!!"

Well, what does any right-minded citizen want to do when they go see a baby, much less a king? They want to take a gift!

"I have no gift to bring. No gift fit to give a king...:("

What do you give a king anyway? It strikes me as trying to figure out something to give those special people in our lives that have everything! Plus, there's no Walmart in Bethlehem...no CVS on the corner to stop and grab a giftcard...

"Shall I play for him on my drum?"

"Sure, play quietly though 'cause, well, you know...not everyone can play the drum in a soothing manner."

So, the little drummer boy timidly goes to see the baby. The newborn king. Jesus. Our savior. The one sent to save us from ourselves. Sent to earth in human form to live among us. To face the challenges we face; temptation, love, rejection, loneliness, hunger, pain, even death.

And he plays. He plays with his soul. He plays with feeling, and love. That little guy plays for Jesus, the instrument he was created to play. Gifted to play. Gifted by God to play.

"Not everyone can play the drum in a soothing manner."

Not everyone can play the drum period.

And what did Jesus do? He smiled at him.

That chokes me up y'all. Jesus smiled at him. I want Jesus to smile at ME!

I think he smiled at him because he knew the Little Drummer Boy was utilizing the gift he was given. He used it in a way that was pleasing. He used it for God and he gave Him glory. And Jesus smiled at him. Wow. What more affirmation could one have?

In my years of being blessed to live in a family that submersed me in the Bible, The word of God, The stories of Jesus, the closest thing we have to an instruction manual, the stories I've heard a hundred times take on new meaning as I experience new things in life. I understood at a young age that we are put here on earth to serve him. To bring him glory in all we do. To accept him as my savior, and to look forward to the day I can spend eternity with him, praising him. I understand now even more than before, how difficult that is to do sometimes. But each morning I'm able to wake up and see the magnificent sunrise like the one I'm seeing right now, it makes me want even more, to do my best to make him smile at me.

I feel like it's really not as hard as I thought. When my kids tell me they love me, when my Gracie says my name, when Denton falls asleep on my chest while we rock on my porch, when my HHH holds my hand, when I look at where I am now, I know he's smiling at me.

I pray you feel him smiling at you:)