Living with a Christmas Servant Heart

‘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 25:40

Obviously around this time of year we focus on and celebrate the birth of Christ.  After all, Christ is in the word “Christmas!”  Many of the songs we sing and the programs we watch center around the coming and birth of Jesus.  He truly is the reason for the season.

I wholeheartedly agree that Jesus should be our number one thought and focus at Christmas, but there is a group that follows a close second – this group is referred to as “others.”  Okay now “others” is a very broad category, but it encompasses anyone and everyone who could benefit from a kind word, a sweet gesture, or a special gift around this time of year.  They may be young children who simply want a gift – any gift – for Christmas, a young store cashier who needs to hear “Thank you for what you do.  God Bless” after a frazzled day of Christmas chaos at work, a senior adult who needs help getting to church on Christmas Sunday because he can’t drive there, or a stranger who wants to make it home for Christmas and needs guidance on how to get there (a situation I have been watching play out for the past couple of weeks…see the section "Servant Hearts" my last blog post and continue to pray for this man). 

There is never a more important time to live with a servant’s heart than at Christmas.  Jesus came to earth in the form of a baby in order to grow and serve mankind.  We live His example by serving others in His name and in His way.  Whether serving someone intentionally or unintentionally, we never know who we might touch when we serve them.  It could even be Jesus Himself.  He reminds us of that in Matthew 20:35-40, “for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' "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 there My brethren, you did it to Me.'"  Those are powerful words right there.

I can’t think of any greater example of this thought, and most especially this verse, than the old German folk story called “The Story of the Christmas Guest.”  It was adapted and modernized by Helen Steiner Rice.  This is a beautiful story, centered around the Christmas holiday, about how the people we touch and serve as Christ could in fact be Jesus in disguise.  As you read it, I hope you listen to the message and choose to live this Christmas with a genuine servant’s heart.

The Story of the Christmas Guest

Adapted by Helen Steiner Rice from an old German Legend

It happened one day at the year's white end;
Two neighbors called on an old-time friend.
They found his shop, so meager and mean,
Made bright with a thousand boughs of green.

And Conrad was sitting with face a-shine,
When he suddenly stopped as he stitched a twine,
And said, "Old friends, at dawn today,
When the cock was crowing the night away,

"The Lord appeared in a dream to me,
And said, `I'm coming your guest to be.'
So I've been busy with feet astir,
Strewing my shop with branches of fir.

"The table is spread and the kettle is shined
And over the rafters, the holly is twined.
And now I will wait for my Lord to appear,
And listen closely so I will hear
His step as He nears my humble place,
And I open the door and look in His face."

So his friends went home and left Conrad alone,
For this was the happiest day he had known.
For long since, his family had passed away,
And Conrad had spent a sad Christmas Day.

But he knew with his Lord as his Christmas Guest,
This Christmas would be the dearest and best.
He listened with only joy in his heart,
And with every sound, he would rise with a start.

And look for the Lord to be standing there,
In answer to his earnest prayer.
So he ran to the window after hearing a sound,
But all that he saw on the snow-covered ground…

Was a shabby beggar whose shoes were torn,
And all of his clothes were ragged and worn.
So Conrad was touched and went to the door,
And he said , "Your feet must be frozen and sore.
I have some shoes in my shop for you,
And a coat that will keep you warmer, too."

So with grateful heart, the man went away,
But as Conrad noticed the time of day,
He wondered what made his dear Lord so late,
And how much longer he'd have to wait.
When he heard a knock, he ran to the door,
But it was only a stranger once more;
A bent old crone with a shawl of black,
A bundle of branches piled on her back.

She asked for only a place to rest,
But that was reserved for Conrad's Great Guest.
But her voice seemed to plead, "Don't send me away,
Let me rest for a while on Christmas Day."

So Conrad brewed her a steaming cup,
And told her to sit at the table and sup.
But after she left, he was filled with dismay,
For he saw that the hours were passing away.

The Lord had not come, as He said He would,
And Conrad felt sure he had misunderstood.
Out of the stillness, he heard a cry,
"Please help me and tell me where am I?"
He stood disappointed, as twice before,
But shook off his sadness and went to the door.

It was only a child who had wandered away,
And was lost from her family on Christmas Day.
Again Conrad's heart was heavy and sad
But he knew he should make this little girl glad.

So he called her in and wiped her tears,
And quieted all her childish fears.
Then he led her back to her home once more.
But as he entered his darkened door,

He knew that the Lord was not coming today
For the hours of Christmas had passed away.
So he went to his room and knelt down to pray,
And he said, "Dear Lord, why did You delay?

"What kept You from coming to call on me?
For I wanted so much Your face to see."
When soft in the silence, a voice he heard:
"Lift up your head, for I kept My Word.

"Three times My shadow crossed your floor,
Three times I came to your lonely door.
For I was the beggar with bruised, cold feet.
I was the woman you gave to eat.
And I was the child on the homeless street."

Source
“The Story of the Christmas Guest,” http://www.thefamilyinternational.org/christmas/articledd6e.html