The Place of Christmas, by Charlotte Barres
Back in the purer days of television, probably the 1960's, a
beautifully gowned actress named Loretta Young came sweeping
upon the
screen every Sunday night announcing her show in which she
played a
very different character each week. One I will never forget was
one of
a Japanese servant girl working for an American family living in
her
country.
The plot centered on this homesick family's very evident
disappointment
at not being able to celebrate Christmas back home with the rest
of
their family and friends. After hearing just so much
complaining, the
little Japanese maid said to the mother, "You all so unhappy
because
you cannot celebrate Christmas in America," then she added in
her
humble servant manner, "but I think you celebrate Christmas in
the
heart, yes?"
As many celebrate the birth of Christ this time of year, we are
reminded that he himself warned the people of his time not to
expect
him to set up a visible worldly kingdom. He insisted that the
Kingdom
of God would be established in the hearts of people.
You are the one who had a heart for ...
When get to heaven and rejoice at being united with family and
friends
of faith, what would it be like if we don't know them by their
familiar
appearance or voice, but by the content of their heart? "O, yes,
I know
you," we might say, "you are the one who had a heart for the
poor." Or
to another we might say, "I know you, you had a heart for the
sick." Or
to one who had a heart for the lonely, or for the children, or
the
elderly, or the homeless, or a heart to serve those not noticed
by
others ....
Perhaps this season in the midst of all the lights, trees,
music,
gifts, games, and food, we can say an emphatic "Yes!" to the
Japanese
servant girl's question. "Yes, we will be celebrating Christmas
and the
New Year in our hearts for that is where the Christ of Christmas
really
is and what the basis of anything truly new is all about."
May Jesus be in every aspect of your celebration this holiday
season,
for He alone is the light, the song, and the gift we most need.
Only He
didn't give this gift under a Christmas tree, but instead gave
it on
the cruel tree of Calvary. And He did so to make every day of
the New
Year a joyful, Jesus-filled celebration from our hearts.
[Jesus said] "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying,
'Lord,
when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give
You
drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or
naked and
clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and
come to
You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I
say
to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My
brethren, you did it to Me.'" (Matthew 25:37-40 NKJV)
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(c) 2006 Charlotte Barres |
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