While walking through the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City this week, we witnessed numerous shopkeepers and residents hanging Christmas decorations, stringing lights in their entryways and blasting Christmas carols over their sound systems. Everyone is getting excited about the upcoming celebrations of Yeshua’s appearance in the flesh to our world. I found myself humming along to the old, familiar tunes and thinking about my favorite Christmas music.
Do you have a favorite Christmas song that moves you every time you hear it? I do. It is an old Christmas song called The Little Drummer Boy that tells the story of a young boy accompanying the wise men in search of Baby Jesus. When they find Him, they lay their lavish gifts before the Babe, but this poor little lad has nothing he can offer the newborn King but a song on his drum. With Mary’s consent, he begins to play for Jesus. And as he plays his very best for Him, in response, God Incarnate smiles at the little boy and his drum. What a beautiful gift! What a wonderful response!
Sometimes, we don’t feel like we have much to offer the Lord. We may not be able to give great contributions for the work of ministries. We may not know how to preach eloquently, or sing moving worship songs, or witness on a street corner. But in what we can do we should do our very best for the King of the Universe. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10) All of our acts of service that are done with a sincere and humble heart, whether great or small, are appreciated by our Lord. When I think about myself, standing as that little drummer boy, doing my very best for the Lord, using what I have in my hand to honor Him, I too want to see Him smiling at me and saying, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” My heart swells with joy and my eyes fill with tears to think that I can do something (however small) that will bless my Lord Jesus Christ, that even my smallest offering is as a gift received graciously by my Savior.
The Lord delights in giving us wonderful gifts as well! And His gifts are never small or insignificant. But His gifts are not meant for us to treasure alone in our hearts or minds. No! He wants us to share the precious gifts He gives us with others, for that is when they are most impactful and exquisitely displayed. And as a result, He is glorified in our lives, and His goodness is testified before the world. 1 Peter 4:10-11 says,
“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
As you enter this Christmas season and find yourself humming along to a favorite Christmas song, I encourage you to think of how you can turn that song in your heart into a gift–what you can do (be it small or big) to be a blessing to others and to your Lord. Spread the joy that He has gifted you with to those around you! And may the Lord Himself smile upon you as you give your very best for the Him this Christmas season and all year long!