I walk the aisles of the store, quickly scanning each shelf, glancing back at my enormous shopping list, and feeding an endless supply of Goldfish crackers to my small son. The stores are completely crowded this time of year, with everyone finishing up last minute Christmas shopping and double-checking their list of who has been naughty or nice.
“Oh, I’m so sorry”, I whisper as my shopping cart bumps into another shopper’s.
“Humph”, he grunts at me and walks on down the aisle, scowling at the crowd.
I feel my spirits start to fade too, as yet another announcement blares out over the speaker that there is a SALE, and it is for a LIMITED time, so I need to HURRY! The Christmas music seems to be getting louder, I realize the check-out lines are getting longer, and my endless supply of Goldfish crackers turns out to have an end after all.
Right in time for a cranky toddler.
Is this what it’s all about?
I stand completely still in the middle of the aisle, and for the first time, I really look around me.
Really look.
I have been in the store for almost an hour and had never stopped to really look around and see.
If Jesus walked into this store, would I see him? Would I take time to notice him? Would I just grunt at him as we bumped elbows? Would I snatch away the last sale item from him and give a momentary triumphant glance after my sale victory?
“There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.” ~ Isaiah 53:2
I shamefully but honestly realize that I probably would not notice Him at all in the crowd. Jesus would not burst into the store with an entourage and use the loud-speaker to announce His arrival. Loudness is not His style. He speaks in a still, small voice. After all, on His long-awaited birthday, He slipped quietly into our scarred world. He left the paradise of heaven to become flesh for my salvation, and yours.
If I lived in Bethlehem so many years ago, would I have noticed in the quiet night that the Messiah had come? That the Hope of nations had quietly made His miraculous arrival?
I realize that I miss Him so many times in my daily life, when He whispers with His still, small voice. I pray for answers, long for intimacy with Him, cling to His promises, but yet, so many times… I drown out His voice in my loudness and chaos.
A loud, chaotic mall full of Christmas shoppers…. in my heart.
This Christmas, could we stop and look for Him? We may see Him in the face of a child who feels alone and is longing for hope more than a shiny bicycle under the tree. We might see Him in the lonely eyes of the widow or the uncertain glance of a young, single mom. Would we hear Him ask us to help another family who is struggling to put food on the table?
Would we do it for Him?
I pray that God will help us to stop, really look around, and to be His hands and feet to show His love this Christmas and to point others to the One who came to save us.
So that we might have Life.
Is there any Christmas gift more wonderful to share?
By: Melanie Moore, Only a Breathe
