The day before Christmas, I found myself frantically searching through our small North African town for wrapping paper to wrap Christmas gifts for my workers, friends, and neighbours. I had failed to bring Christmas paper with me from the States. After a fruitless search through five local stationery shops, I felt my frustration level rising. There was no Christmas paper to be found—only birthday, congratulations, and a wide assortment of floral patterns.
How could this be true? Orthodox Christians celebrated Christmas here. There were plenty of shops with miniature Christmas trees and Christmas cards. I continued my search through another five shops and finally had to settle for “happy birthday” gift paper. As I sat behind the steering wheel of my car, I tossed my purchase into the seat beside me. How could this town not have one shop with Christmas gift wrap? Just at that moment, I felt the Lord say, This is my Son’s birthday. Why don’t you celebrate Him?
That day as I wrapped gifts, I hoped someone would ask me, “Why the birthday paper?” Then I could share the joyous occasion of Jesus Christ’s birth. I challenged myself to use birthday gift wrap for future Christmas gifts as a means of telling the Christmas story. —L. LEE, NORTHERN AFRICAN AND MIDDLE EASTERN PEOPLES
No comments:
Post a Comment