Through Little Eyes

According to my now 6 year old grandson, there is only one way to set up a nativity scene. I had no idea I had been doing it so wrong for so many years. How good of God to use a child to open my eyes.

Some of you might think, as I once did, of arranging the characters from the manger scene in elaborate fashion, always, of course, the baby Jesus with his parents in the middle. Sometimes I have had the wise men coming off in a distance (since they arrived so late!), sometimes the shepherds and sheep off to the side as if coming down the hill to see the new baby. I even used to have a fireplace with stones that randomly jutted out which were perfect ledges on which to place angels announcing the birth.

One fine December day when Jaxson was almost 4 years old, he bounded into my house with glorious stories of all the fun at his house…Christmas trees, manger scenes, cookies, special ornaments. His words were tripping over themselves so quickly he could not get them out fast enough! And then, in the middle of a sentence…complete quiet. He stopped…he looked at me with puzzling brown eyes and said, “Honey, your “activity scene” is not finished! Here, I will do it for you!”

Gently, little fingers moved my wooden characters around, and when he was finished, I could not believe I had ever set my “activity scene” up any other way.

No one was far off, or set to the side, or on a ledge. All, and I mean all, were crowding so closely to each other as if to get as close to the baby as absolutely possible without hurting him. Shepherds huddled next to kings, sheep huddled next to camels, angels gathered as closely as possible and every eye, animal, human, angelic, every eye on Jesus.

Every Christmas I am reminded of one of my most life-changing lessons, taught to me by a 4 year old.


THE ONLY WAY TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, AND EVERY OTHER DAY OF THE YEAR, IS ARM AND ARM WITH ALL OF CREATION, EACH OF US TRYING TO GET AS CLOSE AS WE CAN, SO THAT OUR EYES ARE FIXED ON THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS THE POWER TO SAVE US FROM OURSELVES.

As we go about this busy season, it is my prayer that we are all reminded that when things get busy, or chaotic, or go unfinished…maybe we need to do what Jaxson said, and fix our “activity scene”.

ALL EYES ON JESUS, on the day we celebrate His birth…and every day after until He comes to take us home.

All eyes on Jesus...Pass The Word...