Bring What Gift?

Come, they told me; a new born King to see.
Our finest gifts we bring, to lay before the King.
So to honor Him...

Little Baby, I am a poor boy too.
I have no gift to bring, that's fit to give the King.
Shall I play for you, on my drum?

Mary nodded, the ox and lamb kept time
I played my drum for Him; I played my best for Him!
Then, He smiled at me....me and my drum...

Christmas isn't Christmas without the giving of gifts.  I was taught that we give gifts as a way to demonstrate THE gift that was given to us through Christ.  But what can we give Him? 

The proverbial drummer boy in the song was invited to bring gifts to the new King.  Others were bringing their "finest gifts" to lay before the King.  Our mind's eye is drawn to the story of the Wise Men from the East, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  There is even legend surrounding those gifts, chosen to represent the newborn King's royalty (gold), priesthood (frankincense), and his eventual suffering and death (myrrh was used both as a wound-healing agent, and a perfume of embalming by Egyptians).

But our little drummer boy had nothing "fit to give a King."  One can almost imagine a young lad, anxious and excited to be included in this traveling band of gift-bearers on their way to worship the King of Kings.  Yet through the excitement, the boy becomes disheartened when he realized he's got nothing worthy of a King's attention.  Taking a quick look around his room, he spies his small drum.  "I can play for him!" he muses.

The story quickly shifts to the scene of a still-infant Jesus, together with Mary, receiving the "finest gifts" being brought.  Mary approves, the little drummer boy can play on his drum.  Our boy steps forward, holding a big deep breath and with weak knees, strikes his drum.  He played, and played his "best for Him", on his drum.

Oh but then the gift of all gifts, Jesus - the KING of Kings - smiled.  Out of all the gifts, Jesus' smile was reserved for the young lad who brought the only thing he had worthy of this King - he brought himself and his talent.

What do we bring this Christmas?  What do we give each other?  What do we give OUR KING?  Do we offer "stuff"?  Do we check off our list...Lottie Moon, tithes, charity donations, church building projects,...or do we just simply offer the one and only thing Jesus really wants?  That being ourselves, completely, totally given to Him?  He accepts us, just like the drummer boy, just as we come to him.

Merry Christmas.