Late Epiphany
Maybe the little drummer boy showed up
because he was all that was left of all the
other kings’ horses and men. All the rest
killed in all the other wars kings drool over.
Maybe he arrived not so much to worship
as to gauge authority, to divine if this was
simply another college try by humanity
at peace on earth, or if maybe, just maybe
this, this was truly something other—
this, this was the one who could coo as
nations raged while milking his mother dry for
the forgotten tongue of goodwill t’ward men.
In trembling exhaustion the little boy drummed,
and the child smiled.
Sometimes this precious child is all there is. Sometimes He is their only hope, the reason for getting up in the morning, believing, trusting that today will the best day ever.
I may be hurting or sad or hungry but then I see the wonder of the sun’s pink entrance in the east and know that all is well! I am truly, deeply , unconditionally loved by my God and that is enough
“the forgotten tongue of goodwill t’ward men.” What a line….
“In trembling exhaustion the little boy drummed, and the child smiled.”
WOW!! LOVE that line!
Love the imagery found in that last line!
Oh, John!
Just recently in my pediatric practice, I saw a precious and UNBELIEVABLY anxious 8 year old girl. As she, her mom, and I talked about the anxiety, triggers, etc, she told me a story about a boy in her class who had bullied her last fall. He ended up receiving 2 days’ in-school suspension. She then worried about him because, she said, “his parents were not very nice to him, and she didn’t want him to get into more trouble.” Two or three weeks later, Christmas presents for children in need were delivered to the school (VERY small town in rural east TN), and somehow she learned this boy would be one of the recipients. On the way home from school that afternoon, she told her mom she was so glad he was going to get Christmas presents, that she forgave him for being mean because he didn’t know better, and that she would continue to try to be his friend because Jesus loves him as much as He loves her. . . Not gonna lie. It was pretty much everything I could do in that moment to maintain any form of “professional” composure. My response was just to say, “Baby girl, you WERE Jesus to this boy. You ARE Jesus to this boy.” Even trembling with exhaustion, the faith of a child is such a SURE path to knowing the affection of the Father of Jesus and the smile of the Son Himself.
Thank you. Back in the day, The Little Drummer Boy always topped Rudolph as priority viewing during Christmas special season. I remember why. Thank you.