Look at Him!

Christmas 2007



This year our local theater brought to the stage The Best Christmas
Pageant Ever. The story is a classic, the theme being the clash between
believers and the so-called ignorant. The outcome is a muddying of
the lines between the two. The Herdmanns are a family of miscreants who
descend upon the church to take over the annual Christmas pageant, much to
the dismay of the fastidious church regulars. They are treated to their first time
through the Christmas story and end up with the leading roles, Mary,
Joseph, angels and wisemen. Looking at the story from their totally fresh
standpoint and interpreting the roles in brand new ways ends up lending the
show the title, The Best Ever.
A favorite is Gladys Herdmann’s angel. This angel is not satisfied with
proclaiming “Rejoice!” in King James’ best English. She adds some splash fitting
such an event. “Shazammmm!!!” is her announcement. Then determined that
no one will miss the stupendous happening in the cow barn, she yells at the
hesitant shepherds, “Hey, hey!! Unto you a child is born. It’s Jesus, and he’s
there in the barn! Right there! LOOK AT HIM!”
Maybe we need this kind of John the Baptist approach today. Christians who
should know better often get numbed by the hustle of the holiday and forget
the reason.
The magic of God become Man—not in the sense of the occult, but in the
sense of that which is beyond human power or understanding or imagination---is
reflected in everything we do during this season. The lights, the gifts, the baking
are all symbolic of that Great Miracle and Gift. Sans God, these holiday activities
are only futile, frenzied attempts to satisfy a hunger for God.
Listen to the old carols, written back when people didn’t have so much stuff
getting between them and the Baby. I especially love, “O Holy Night!”
“The stars are brightly shining, it is the night of the Dear Savior’s birth. Long
lay the world in sin and error pining, till he appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious
morn.”
What tells us of our great worth, brings true joy and the eternal hope of a
new beginning? Not stuff, not goodies, not loaded eggnog, not more speed,
power, money or sex. God coming to earth to be born in poverty of a woman,
and dying on the cross for each one of us is how we know our worth.
That is why we are so profoundly sad when our lives are not filled with love,
when we are labeled as worthless by those around us or feel this way from
events in our lives. This love is most fulfilled when it is given in return. A life not spent in giving is cold as a tomb.
Christians, stop and look at Him. Listen closely to the old carols. Falling
love again. Non-Christians, a challenge, stop using the behavior of individual
Christians as an excuse to avoid Christ—look at Him, discover Him for yourselves.
Everyone—just stop and LOOK AT HIM!!!